


one love

by melodious (pen_light)



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Action, Angst, Fairy tail au, Fluff, M/M, Mystery, Some Humor, changki rise, enjoy, fairy tail - Freeform, has action too, i cant tag, idk how to tag, its cute, ok im done, the kiho is mild but present throughout the whole thing kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 12:35:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 27,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7802074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pen_light/pseuds/melodious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>kihyun just wanted to prove himself as a mage. changkyun just wanted to finish a mission. together, they learn of new lights that had never shone on them before.</p><p> </p><p>alternatively, a fairy tail au where changki meet by chance only to realize that they accepted the same mission (ft. the rest of monsta x)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. one love// i threw away my everything

**Author's Note:**

> hello  
> this is a fairy tail au fic  
> for those of you who haven't watched the anime or read the manga, here are the details you need to know:)
> 
> wizards can be called mages. guilds are where mages work. they earn money by completing mission requests to get paid. guilds are just where they hang out with other mages and make teams for the purposes of missions. the magics of the characters will be explained within the story itself. i will add more to this if needed, but i think it should suffice. 
> 
> enjoy xx

Yoo Kihyun wasn't one to allow things to get to him. Sure, he may have the slightest tendency to nag and fuss (and whine on rare occasions when his friends became quite bothersome). But even then, he wasn't prone to the frustration that came with dealing the small stupid things that made up the world in general.

When it came to appointing new candidates for the S-Class Mage label, Kihyun was more than satisfied with himself. All throughout the year he had kept a steady routine of accepting missions, of all sizes, and fulfilling them to the best of his ability. Of course, due to his respectable abilities, the boy was always showered with thanks and gifts of gratitude.

Was Kihyun the only one that pushed forward with such a strategy?

No.

Many others, including his close friend Jooheon, were responsible mages as well.

Still, did Kihyun think that his qualifications and accomplishments from the year proved him worthy of the promotion?

Absolutely.

So when Hoseok, Kihyun's closest (dare he say, best) friend, approached him with a solemn, apologetic expression, the last thing he was expecting was the bad news to come. In his head, he expected the news to be about someone else, not himself.

Maybe he should've seen it coming.

"Kihyunnie." The nickname itself had Kihyun's hopes spiraling downhill. It was as if Hoseok was trying to calm him down before the storm even began. Just like always, the nickname did its work and Kihyun stilled, slowly taking the seat that Hoseok had led him to in the back of the guild.

"Kihyunnie."

"What?" He needed the news, and he needed it fast.

Hoseok sighed, regret laced in his next words. "You didn't make it."

If he wanted to, Kihyun could've cracked a joke right there, in attempts to steer the conversation through a major U-turn, avoiding the topic completely. 'Sure Hoseok, I didn't make the ramen you wanted me to, why would I?'. But Hoseok knew him better than anyone else. Had it been another person who had broken the news to him, he would've definitely swerved out of the lane right then and there, running away from the crushing disappointed that was weighing his heart down.

But, unfortunately, it was Hoseok who told him.

When Kihyun met the older boy's eyes, he knew that acting wouldn't help him at all. He was already read, scanned, analyzed, and Hoseok was more than ready for the aftermath, the sequel of events.

"Did Jooheon make it?" Kihyun's sad voice crushed Hoseok, and the other stumbled on his reply.

"Y-yea, he did. B—" Hoseok stopped, seeing Kihyun's pleading eyes.

_Why?_

Hoseok blinked, reaching to hold onto his best friend, lending all the power and support he could right at that moment.

 _You know why_. Hoseok tried to crack a smile, but the tension just weighed him down.

It happened every year. Kihyun would work his butt off every damn year, trying to earn the label his so rightfully deserved. But every year, his efforts would be thrown to waste, ignored, and forgotten. The reasoning for the denial of his caliber was even worse:

He's too short.

You [Hoseok], an S-Class mage accompanied him during his missions. He's still weak since he needs you.

He's not at the level yet.

None of those were even believable. Kihyun's height only hid the power he held. The boy was probably more capable than more than half of the S-Class mages in the guild.

Yet, believe it or not, the real culprit was that very magical power itself. Kihyun was the last survivor of the Lost Clan, a clan made up of some of the most powerful natural wizards. Being the last survivor, the boy was always in danger of being targeted, by whether it be other mages or enemies. He posed a strong threat for himself and the Starship guild. And with the guild being rather small in prominence in Fiore, there was no room for any chances to be taken. Kihyun could not receive the position. Higher positions meant more critical missions which meant the one thing that was to be avoided—attention.

The poor boy suffered so much because of his magic, and unfortunately, it seemed like he would continue to suffer.

"You know," The smaller cracked a cold, dark laugh. "I've never been more jealous of Jooheon's powers."

Hoseok tried to laugh along. But he couldn't.

Jooheon was an Elemental Wizard. While he also controlled nature, he did it through this body. There was no command, it was just a form of magic that utilized the body as a vessel for the element. Hence its name.

Kihyun's power was something quite grand. His body wasn't a vessel, but the elements were. Kihyun was the artist, and the elements his art. Hoseok had always awed his best friend's magic.

"Hyung, how are you doing?" Speak of the devil.

Kihyun smiled genuinely at his fellow red haired friend. "Ready to celebrate your nomination!" The boy cheered, pulling Jooheon into a hug.

Jooheon laughed, returning the hug. From the distance, Hyunwoo called out for Jooheon, to which the boy immediately responded with a quick 'yes'. Taking his leave, Jooheon moved around the relatively small guild towards the other end.

"Where is the test?" Kihyun asked, head rested against his hand.

Hoseok frowned, trying to retrieve the memory. "Ummm...They're doing the 'Right Now' Challenge?"

Kihyun snorted. "He's going to die."

Rolling his eyes, Hoseok stood up, dragging the other along with him. "Okay Mr. Grinch, let's get out of here before your heart completely disappears."

Not fighting back, Kihyun allowed himself to be dragged all the way to the door, only to be stopped mid-drag.

"Crap," Hoseok said out loud, patting his pockets. He turned to look at Kihyun with pleading eyes.

Kihyun straightened himself out, looking at Hoseok in question.

"I left my stuff upstairs," Hoseok stated, suddenly batting his eyelashes.

Not wanting to withstand another minute of the strange attempt of being cute, Kihyun complied immediately, a quick cringe shooting through his body as he walked away.

He strolled up to the S-Class area with ease, no one bothering to stop him, since Hoseok had brought him upstairs many times already. With a quick scan of the floor, the boy immediately identified the wallet and materials he was searching for. They were lying right next to the mission board. Kihyun jogged to the place and retrieved the items. He placed them in his pockets while making sure that he got everything. Just as he was about to turn around, he frowned, a particular object in his peripheral vision catching his attention.

It was a picture of a strange pendant. What was even stranger was that the pendant's charm struck an alarm in his mind, as if he had seen it before, as if he knew the importance of its power.

Kihyun walked to the sheet, which seemed to be quite old. It looked as if the mission had been there for quite the while.

Kihyun hummed, a wild thought running through his head. Looking right and left, Kihyun smiled at the clear floor. Without another thought, the boy ripped the sheet, stuffing it in his last available pocket.

 

_****one love**** _

 

Eventually, as always, the duo ended up crashing in Kihyun's apartment. Hoseok was, what he liked to call, "lounging" on the other's bed. Meanwhile, Kihyun had busied himself with the task of whipping up a quick, relishing meal for the nighttime. The eventful day, filled with games and foolishness, had greatly tired the two out.

"What are you making?" Hoseok asked smugly, hands stretched behind his head.

From the other room, Kihyun rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You know what I'm making, you ramen freak."

Hoseok hummed in content, jumping up to help out. Reaching above Kihyun, he pulled out the utensils and drinks.

"Nuh-uh," Kihyun clicked his tongue in disapproval at Hoseok's choice of juice. "Bring out the alcohol."

Snapping his fingers in approval, Hoseok chose the juice and booze. He juggled the two bottles, showing off his wonderful arms, as he traveled to the table.

"I think a few cocktails are up for order," he announced in a posh tone.

Kihyun turned off the gas, stirring the noodles, grumbling at his friend's terrible attempt at banter.

An empty pot and whisky bottle later, the two boys were definitely wasted, as they had become piles of helpless drunkenness. Hoseok passed out immediately once he felt Kihyun's soft covers and squishy bed.

Sitting on the floor with his back against the wooden frame of the said bed, Kihyun had his eyes closed, a glass of the last drops of the whisky in the hand that was resting on his propped up knee. There was a faint frown disturbing his features, distress all written in his posture.

Reaching into his pocket, the boy brought out the ripped, crumpled sheet of paper that had been hiding within his jeans the whole day.

The words stared at him, and Kihyun sighed, examining the sheet once again.

Yoo Kihyun didn't allow the stupidities of the world get to him. But this one time, just this one time, the poor boy gave into the frustration.

It was just a simple mission. Nothing small, but nothing too special.

 _Find a locket_.

Good grief. Like Kihyun wasn't capable of doing that.

_Return it to the owner._

Okay, fair enough.

_Reward: 20,000,000 jewels_

The big, bright, red stamp, on the corner of the flyer, mockingly stared at Kihyun, flaunting its status— something it had and Kihyun didn't.

Kihyun scoffed, finishing his drink instantly.

He allowed it get to him.

"I'll show you," He muttered, glass clinking against the floor. It rolled away, paying Kihyun no attention as he glared a fiery gaze into the paper.

Sure enough, the smell of burnt paper consumed the room instantly, as a small hole began to grow in the middle of the paper. Alerted, Kihyun shook his head, regaining his control of himself.

Hoseok's snore erupted from behind him, slightly startling the boy.

Kihyun gave one good look at the paper in his hands before reverting his vision to Hoseok.

Something in him clicked, and he dropped the act of being drunk. He was a Natural Wizard. Alcohol was a form of nature itself. He couldn't get drunk, no matter how hard he tried.

Hoseok may know it, but Kihyun doubted it. It wasn't something that was simple to notice as easily as it was to act.

"Hyung," Kihyun whispered. "Don't worry about me. You know I can handle myself, right?"

The soft repeated breaths were answers enough for the questioning boy.

"Don't worry about me. I'll prove myself and return all safe and sound," the boy continued to whisper, his light footsteps fluttering throughout the apartment. In no time, he was ready, mental checklist all checked out.

With an eager step forward, Kihyun walked out of his apartment with the strangest feeling ever.

He knew something would change. Something would change by the time he came back.

And Kihyun hoped that it would somehow give him the chance he deserved.

 

_****one love**** _

 

The first task of business that was to be taken care of was information gathering. As compelling as the mission had looked, Kihyun was regretting his mission choice. There was absolutely nothing written on the flyer, besides the picture of the locket and the reward. Even the name of the mission requestor wasn't fully present. There was a word, Interstellar, which vaguely rang a bell or two in Kihyun's mind, back to when Hyunwoo had been talking to him about businesses and the world. Kihyun hadn't paid much attention, thinking that such little bits of information would just be a waste of memory space in his brain.

Oh how wrong he was.

Sighing, Kihyun walked and walked and walked, until he was completely out of town. Could he had gathered some information back near home?

Sure.

But by doing so, the boy would be leaving traces behind, something he couldn't risk.

This was something he had to quickly finish alone.

Kihyun winced a sudden crash, turning his head to observe from where the sound came from. He relaxed when he saw that it was just a few drunk men fooling around, up to no good.

Rolling his eyes as he walked past the wasted men, Kihyun halted, gears turning quickly.

Bars were full of people. People with different resources. Different resources meant more information and—

Bingo!

Kihyun snapped his fingers, a prideful expression on his face as he explored more, finally locating the desired club. "You're so smart," Kihyun praised himself, half expecting Hoseok to come up from behind him and smack him to calm his ego down. But Hoseok wasn't there, and as much as Kihyun missed him, the boy was more than relieved to be able to freely compliment himself without a smack following it right after.

The bar wasn't anything special, just the typical worn down pub with stained wooden walls and tables everywhere, the people only making their conditions worse. Many of the drunks were either yelling and arguing, or dancing and 'dancing'. Kihyun averted his eyes from the rather intimate couples, heading straight for the counter. It wasn't until he reached the complete opposite end of the bar that he was able to acquire a seat across the wide array of neatly arranged bottles on the wall.

A bartender approached the eager mage with an expression of indifference. Monotonously, he asked the same question he asked constantly each night, for hours on hours.

Kihyun hummed, wasting no time in asking for a simple beer, which was promptly handed to him. Just as the bartender turned around, Kihyun interrupted the motion, retrieving his mission sheet from his back pocket.

"Excuse me, could I ask you a question?" He yelled over the chaos that had suddenly taken over his side of the bar.

The bartender nodded tiredly, using the counter for support.

"What have you heard about Interstellar?" The question wasn't heard at first, but at the second asking, the bartender's face instantly paled.

Kihyun's brows furrowed at the response. He was going to push further, but the crash of a body dressed in a ripped (well, freshly ripped) navy blue cardigan and—

The said boy took one look at the flyer in Kihyun's hand and sweared, immediately yanking the confused man out of his seat. Kihyun went flying, almost falling face first into floor.

"He—" Just as he was about to curse the other out, Kihyun's eyes widened, the first thought running through his head: Big.

'Big' would be an understatement to describe the three men looming over him and his assaulter, who at that moment seemed like an angel sent from heaven to prevent Kihyun from becoming collateral damage.

The three men literally snarled, their spit flying all over the place, and Kihyun wanted to barf.

"What was it that you said?" The person, presumingly the leader, barked. "Interstellar?"

Kihyun's eyes snapped to the crumbled piece of paper in the other's hand and back up. Speaking of which, the stranger still hadn't let go of his arm.

"Look, look," The deep voice of the stranger spoke out. "There's been a misunderstanding. I heard the same thing as you. I'm telling you it wasn't me who said that name."

"Prove it," The minion on the left demanded, sizing the boy standing in front of him up. The second minion straightened out, rolling his shoulders. Kihyun gulped. Sure his magic was capable of blowing these men to pieces, but the beady glares and the cornering was enough to frighten him just a little.

The stranger gripped his arm even tighter as a warning.

"I hate those thieving rats as much as you do. Don't ask the reason, it's personal." The terrific terrifying trio shared a few looks, nodding to each other once an understanding was achieved.

The grip on Kihyun's arm was now screaming at him. They had entered the Red Zone, and Kihyun scanned the area, looking for methods to escape. There was nothing.

The leader took a step. Kihyun's heart stopped.

"Sorry buddy," A strong arm came down to shake the stranger's shoulder. "You understand though, right?"

After the quick nod and smile, the three scary men walked away, and everything was back to normal.

Kihyun let out the breath he was apparently holding in. His mild moment of relief was short lived, as the grip on his arm returned, and a face came into view.

"We have to get out of here," It said hastily. Kihyun didn't even have the chance to ask why, as he was yanked once again, this time the hand guiding him towards the outdoors rather than the floor.

They found refuge in the woods outlining the barren, dusty streets. The stranger finally allowed Kihyun to regain control of his arm again. The Natural mage massaged the area, which was tinted with a slightly reddish color.

There were too many questions Kihyun wanted to ask, too many answers he needed, and too many reasons for why he was ticked off.

"Who the hell are you?!" Kihyun asked in a rather rude tone.

The stranger shushed him, making hand signals for him to lower his voice. "Lim Changkyun, keep it down please."

"What?!" Kihyun cleared his throat, embarrassed at the sudden, necessary voice crack. He continued in a whisper. "What? Why? What's going on?"

"We need to get out of town. It seems like this town is against Interstellar too. Your mission? Yea, I'm on it too. Picked it up from a different bar, where the same fight was happening. I don't know where you got yours, but it seems like it wasn't from a run down pub since you were so surprised at the response," Changkyun explained quietly, eyes darting to scan the ground. Nodding to himself, he decided to move along and settle his items on the leafy ground.

Kihyun shook his head. "You have the same mission?"

Changkyun hummed, laying out his sleeping materials. "It was apparently posted years ago, and it's still active. I thought no one else would be bothering with it, so I took it."

Kihyun plopped in front of Changkyun, resting against the grey bark of the relatively tall trees. "I'm guessing the lack of information wasn't appealing enough for others."

"Was it for you?"

Kihyun laughed sourly. "I was dumb, and drunk, and it was kind of a spur in the moment decision."

Changkyun let out a noise of approval. He then stretched out, lying back on the blankets he had so gingerly laid out.

Kihyun eyed him curiously. "What are you doing?"

"Saving money and enjoying nature." The reply was quite innocent and sweet, causing a soft smile to appear on Kihyun's face. He had just been thrown into a standoff with three men, each three times his size, dragged out of the bar against his will. Yet, there he was, smiling at the cause of it all.

Kihyun took the chance to observe the person in front of him. His face put him out to be someone with age, but his actions showed a different story. Kihyun assumed the other to be his age, as it was an in-between of the old and the young attributes. Changkyun had a head of soft, brown hair, that reminded Kihyun of Hoseok's previously dyed hair. Only Changkyun seemingly looked quite different and, in some aspects, better. He pulled it off well.

"We could work together. Well, I think we should work together." Changkyun's eyes were still closed as he voiced his thoughts.

"Why do you say that?" As much as Kihyun was uninterested in the offer, he still felt the need to ask.

Changkyun cracked his eyes open, turning so that he was now facing the other boy. "It's not really a combat mission, but informational. Also, with the ambiguity of the situation, I was thinking that two people could work on the task faster than just one. If the reward is the problem, I don't mind taking a smaller amount, I mean I do—"

"The reward is hardly the issue," Kihyun interrupted, trying to clear things out. "I just...I'm not an S-Class Wizard, but I know I'm qualified. I know I have been for a while now. I just want to show it."

"A what?"

Kihyun frowned at the confused boy. "You're an S-Class wizard, right?"

Changkyun stared at him with big, questioning eyes. "What the hell is an S-Class Wizard? Is it another form of magic?"

This was very strange. Changkyun had said that he got the request from a bar, right? "Are you a part of a guild?"

"Are you?"

Kihyun pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal his Starship mark on his chest. "Yes, you aren't?"

Changkyun shrugged. "Never found the right one?"

"Fair enough. So wait, then this request is for everyone? Mages and non-mages?" Kihyun deduced, reaching for the destroyed sheet of paper.

Changkyun gave Kihyun a small, confused nod.

"Then why was this in the S-Class section? Why is it stamped?" Kihyun wondered out loud.

"Beats me," Changkyun replied, providing no actual answer to Kihyun's question. "Why does it matter? Anything important about it?"

Many things were important about _it_. Many important _questions_ were about it.

"No, not really," Kihyun lied, packing the paper away.

Changkyun nodded again, his silent gesture cutting the conversation off. Yawning, the boy laid on his back, eyes fluttering shut once again.

"G'nite Kihyun. See you in the morning," Changkyun mumbled, already half-asleep.

Kihyun felt the weight of his exhaustion overtake him. He wrapped his spare jacket around himself, and shut his eyes, using the tree as his support.

"Yea," He whispered back. "See you in the morning."

 

_****one love**** _

 

'See you in the morning' only turned out true for Kihyun, for the first thing he did see was Changkyun. Being the relatively morning person he was, the events of the previous night caught up with him rather quickly. Kihyun looked at the sky to check the time. The sun was up quite high. It seemed to be late in the morning. Kihyun rubbed the remaining traces of sleep out of his face.

Hoseok would be awake by now. Hoseok would be in the guild by now. By now the word of Kihyun's disappearance would have at least spread to Jooheon and Hyunwoo. Knowing Hoseok, it was only a matter of time before him or someone else went out to search for Kihyun.

It was too late to return back to the guild. S-Class Mission or not, unless Kihyun completed the request, he was sure that he wouldn't be able to show his face to his friends.

Maybe Changkyun was right. Maybe it would be better to work together. The boy had a point about the fact that the mission was an informational one, and not combat.

Solo or duo, where should Kihyun go?

Literally, Kihyun flipped a coin. Heads for Changkyun, tails for solo. The coin was clasped in his hand tightly, and Kihyun hesitantly took a peek.

Tails.

Solo.

A feeling of disappointment twinged in his gut. _You've only known this kid for a few hours why are you disappointed?_ He scolded himself. _Just get your stuff and go. You don't have time._

Just like a ghost, Kihyun moved around, no sound made. He stood up and walked away, only to pause. Kihyun turned his head and took a quick look at Changkyun's calm, sleeping face. The boy looked even better in the sunlight, just like the angel Kihyun had briefly thought him to be during their first encounter.

And possibly their last.

"Bye Changkyun," Kihyun whispered, the wind rustling gently and soothingly. Changkyun stirred a bit, a smile settling on his features as the wind continued to breeze past at the same, delicate speed.

And just like that, Kihyun was gone.

 

_****one love**** _

 

There was an irritating nagging in the back of his head. Kihyun just couldn't shake off the guilty feeling. Somehow, lost somewhere in his head, the mage ventured farther into the very town he was trying to get out of, until he situated himself at a table in a small food joint right next to the train station.

Kihyun cursed himself out for caring this much about someone he barely even knew. It's not like the other was actually going to wait for him in the morning. Right?

A vague image of Changkyun's disappointed face appeared in Kihyun's mind, and the natural mage was more than ready to jump in front of the incoming train.

The guilt only grew. Changkyun was a nice boy and he was right too. Kihyun would need help on the mission. How was he supposed to find a single damn locket in the entire world? Kihyun should apologize. Kihyun should go back.

"Goddamnit," Kihyun let out in annoyance. He was seriously going crazy.

"Changkyun would've left by now," Kihyun reasoned with himself. "There's no point in going back."

A waiter walked up to him, laying out the coffee and small breakfast he had ordered. Kihyun looked up to thank the waiter with a forced smile. The waiter bowed in respect, and left the table to tend to another hungry customer. The fake smile Kihyun was wearing immediately dropped, as his eyes caught the image of a particular someone in a particularly close train station.

Kihyun's mind must have been playing games with him as he stared at the sullen Changkyun from the window. The lad looked like a poor kicked puppy. Everything about him seemed down and depressed, as if he were— no Kihyun, don't you dare think it — disappointed.

Kihyun really wanted to punch himself right then. Instead he settled with taking a rather large swig of his boiling hot coffee, thus scorching the entire insides of his mouth.

He yelped, slamming the drink on the table as he worked to soothe his mouth with his natural magic. Despite his desire to not look up directly at Changkyun again, Kihyun found himself stealing a glance at the now empty spot.

There was no way that Kihyun imagined the other boy at the station. He was _not_ crazy.

Muttering millions of curses at himself, Kihyun grabbed at all this materials and food. He dashed to the counter and left money for the bill, yelling out a rushed 'Keep the change!' as he ran out of the cafe and into the station.

The train's horn rung throughout the whole town, striking a sudden wave of panic to wash over Kihyun. Had Changkyun boarded the train already? Or was he still on the platform?

His worries ended once he saw an extremely familiar ripped, navy-blue cardigan disappear in one of the cars of the train.

Kihyun's feet moved before his mind did, and in no time, the boy was standing in the middle of the same car Changkyun had apparently boarded. The train was already moving, and it was too late to back out now.

"Just my luck. It's only my luck," Kihyun complained. He was seriously on the verge of tears.

Changkyun was nowhere to be found.

"Stupid Kihyun. Stupid Kihyun. Stupid Kihyun," the boy chanted under his breath as he stumbled across the train until he found a completely empty seat. Tired and completely finished with his life, Kihyun let his eyes droop and lead him into another round of sleep.

By the time Kihyun woke up, it was most definitely late afternoon. He had no idea where he was going and where he was going to end up. He had no idea how he was to book his ticket since he had no idea what his destination was.

Groaning, Kihyun stretched his cramped and sore limbs before he stood up. Luckily for him, the ticket master was right in the caboose, which was the cart right before his.

Bringing out his wallet, Kihyun opened the door and greeted the ticket master. He half-heartedly inquired about the future stops. His lazy gaze shifted from the tickets to his money and then to the window, at which he blinked.

Reality broke his daze.

Kihyun was pretty sure he was dreaming.

There was no way that someone wearing a torn, navy-blue cardigan was standing outside on the small porch of the caboose. There was no way that the fluffy, brown hair, flying in the wind every so gently despite the speed of the train, was the same hair that belonged to a certain boy. There was no way.

Kihyun jumped up, excusing himself from the one-sided conversation promptly. He didn't even wait for the ticket man's reply, for, in the blink of an eye, he wasn't inside but outside. For in the blink of an eye, he wasn't looking at a list of train stops but at a shocked pair of soft, chocolate brown eyes.

"Kihyun?" Changkyun said with a slight tremor in his voice.

Kihyun was at a loss of words. He couldn't convert his jumbled, chaotic thoughts into coherent words and phrases. He let out the only sentence he knew he couldn't possibly mess up. "I'm sorry."

"For?" Changkyun didn't seem annoyed or irritated. He seemed surprised.

"For leaving like that. I-i thought about your proposal," Kihyun licked his lips. His mouth had run dry and the drought had spread to the back of his throat. It hurt to talk, but Kihyun couldn't stop. He needed to let Changkyun know. "I'd be happy to work with you. If you still want to work with me that is. I mean, I know that I've been a je—"

Changkyun smiled, the bright grin blinding Kihyun, and god, since when did Kihyun become a sap? "The offer is definitely available. And yes, I still want to work with you."

Kihyun had never felt more relieved.

 

_****one love**** _

 

Luckily, Changkyun had an idea of where he was going. According to him, the next stop was the stop for Heldan City, a city full of information.

"If there was any place that would have even the sliver of knowledge about this mysterious necklace, it would be Heldan City," He had said.

"Have you visited it before?" Kihyun had asked curiously. Honestly, it was his first time ever hearing of the city.

Changkyun had shook his hand from side to side. "Kind of? I stopped by mid-travels. That's where I learned about its 'vast' wisdom."

It had seemed reliable enough for Kihyun. Not that he'd argue either way.

Once they arrived, Kihyun learned one thing. There's a difference between a city being smart and its inhabitants being smart. They don't equate to each other.

The whole evening of traveling around the most crowded area in Heldan left them with practically nothing. All the citizens kept pointing to each other, bringing up the hopes of the duo. But after an hour or few, it became clear that they were simply going in circles.

Exhausted, the two of them collapsed on a bench next to a humongous fountain in the middle of a enormous plaza.

"City of Wisdom, my ass," Changkyun whined, completely speaking the exact words that were in Kihyun's head.

"Please, this was your idea," Kihyun complained even more, shaking Changkyun.

"Yah, how was I supposed to know that the people were straight-out dumb?"

"How did you know that they were supposed to be smart?" Kihyun retorted, eyebrows raised.

Changkyun flushed in embarrassment. "Well, I talked to a vendor man when I was here last time and he told me his people knew a lot of random crap."

Kihyun frowned, the words processing through his brain. "A vendor told you that his people were smart? Oh my god, I got it."

"Got what?" Changkyun asked, jumping up as soon as Kihyun did.

But the other didn't answer. Instead, he looked around for his next interrogation target. His eyes narrowed in on someone, and he smirked.

"Follow me," Kihyun commanded, jogging straight ahead.

Changkyun obeyed without another word. His understanding of the situation kicked in as soon as they reached their person.

"His people...as in other vendors?" Changkyun whispered into Kihyun's ear.

Ignoring the shiver that shot down his spine, Kihyun beamed, proud of the both of them for figuring it out. Cocking his head towards the vendor, Kihyun met eyes with Changkyun. They shared a nod and proceeded.

"Excuse me sir," Kihyun greeted warmly. "I was wondering if you knew anything about lockets and charms."

The vendor smiled sweetly at his new customer. "Of course, I dabble a bit in the field. Tell me, what is it you need to know."

Changkyun stepped in from behind, arm draped around Kihyun's shoulder. The vendor observed the duo, a knowing look washing over his face.

"Ah I see. Shopping for something special, right?" He inquired with a laugh.

Not quite sure what the vendor was implying, Kihyun decided to play along with the flow. "Exactly. Would you know where I would be able to find knowledge about necklaces like this one?" He brought out the mission sheet, folded neatly to hide the written instructions of the request, creating the illusion that it was just an image.

The vendor took one good look at the picture, his smile faltering slightly. Still, he held his act pretty well. "Well, if you were to go to the downtown areas, there is a friend of mine, Genie, who owns a shop of talismans and charms such as this. She would definitely know about this. I'm sorry, but that's all that I can say from my end. There is nothing else that I know."

Kihyun shook his head. "No need to apologize. This is a great help already. Thank you, sir. I guess we'll head there right now then."

The vendor shook his head quickly. "N-no! It would simply be a waste of time. She's closed now."

Changkyun cocked his head, brows furrowing in suspicion. "It's only about 9."

The vendor stared directly at him, a robotic demeanor taking over him. "She needs her proper rest. The work isn't easy." He cleared his throat. "At least, that's what she's told me. Her business must be good if she closes that early."

Kihyun shrugged, not noticing the sudden changes. "Must be. Good night sir. Thank you for your time."

Once they were out of the crowd, and in an area where private conversations were possible, Changkyun opened his mouth to inform Kihyun about the suspicious behavior.

"Where are we going to rest?" Changkyun blinked at the question and closed his mouth.

"Huh?"

"Nature or hotel?" Kihyun expanded, eyes roaming around, observing the large streets of the city. "I'm thinking nature. The hotels here seem expensive. Plus, I'll cook something up."

Changkyun blinked again, his roaring stomach completely blanking his mind. He couldn't remember what he was about to say, besides the fact that there was something to be said. A loud grumble erupted from his stomach, and Changkyun pushed the thought aside.

"Nature sounds good," He replied, hand flying to his stomach, rubbing as if it would soothe the fire burning from the churning acids.

Kihyun laughed hard. "O-okay," He tried to get out in between his laughs. Changkyun chuckled at the other's state, eventually laughing himself.

"C'mon." Kihyun grabbed at his arm, pulling him forward in a sprint. "If we hurry up, we can probably prevent your death by starvation."

 

_****one love**** _

 

"You're an amazing cook," Changkyun's muffled voice broke out from the crackles of the fire. He was stuffing his face with Kihyun's adaption of cup ramen.

Kihyun snorted. "You don't know how much experience I've had."

Changkyun slurped the rest of the bowl, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips almost immediately. Kihyun shook his head, reaching for the container and discarding it in their small, plastic trash bag.

The fire was bright and vibrant, and it did its job of illuminating their area in the pitch black darkness that had taken over the wilderness.

Changkyun and Kihyun moved in closer to each other, almost in a huddle for warmth. Minutes passed by with not a single one of them saying a word.

Changkyun was the first to break the silence. "What's your story?"

Kihyun made a face. "What?"

"Like, your past. Where are you from? How are you here and all that crap," Changkyun continued.

Kihyun looked around, mind racing to find a way to explain his past, or well, explain it in a way that it was hidden. He wasn't embarrassed of his past per se, however, it was one of his most touchiest subjects. And for a reason.

"If I'll tell mine, will you tell yours?" The same deep voice spoke again.

Kihyun wanted to laugh. "That's so childish."

"Hmm. But children are the ones who live life the best," Changkyun softly reasoned. Kihyun turned to look at Changkyun, immediately noticing fallen, sad smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Ignorance is bliss," Changkyun explained, a heavy sigh rolling off of his shoulders. Neither one of them said anything, allowing a few silent moments to pass by. Kihyun earnestly wished for the moments to carry the tension away.

"My parents are most probably dead. I don't remember how, I just remember waking up one day and knowing it. I didn't know them. I can barely even remember anything about them. I've been traveling on my own, fending for myself through the petty jobs on the bar boards. You have no idea how many times I was almost killed at first.

"My magic came after a while. I had developed a knack for sword fighting immediately. As well as pranks. I had the skills but I needed the magic. Thankfully, I had the magic. With the help of books and observing other wizards from the distance, I taught myself requip magic. But I'd like to think my version is better."

Kihyun stared at Changkyun, completely engrossed in the other's story. "How so?" He whispered, as if his loud voice would interrupt the story.

Changkyun smirked, looking straight at Kihyun. With a snap of his fingers, he summoned a rose. Kihyun stared at it with large, curious eyes. Changkyun held in his laughter while he handed the flower over. Blushing furiously, Kihyun's shaking hands gripped the stem tightly. Instantly, a stream of ice cold water flew to Kihyun's face, startling the boy so much that he almost fell back, had Changkyun's hand not flown to support him.

"Yah!" Kihyun screeched, his furious, red face glaring daggers straight at Changkyun, who was red in the face from holding back his laughter.

"Wel—hehe—My magic—oh my god your face—okay, okay I'll stop now." He took in a deep breath to calm down the giggles. "I don't need to carry my items around as most requip mages need too. It's probably because I only use weaponry and not outfits. It's not my style. In place of them I have my pranks. Neat, right?"

Kihyun's glare intensified. Changkyun found it both terrifying and cute.

"Well, that's me. Nothing much really."

Kihyun could argue that statement.

A sudden freezing gust blew right past them. "It's my turn right?" Changkyun didn't answer, but his face said it all.

Kihyun closed his eyes. "I'm from the Lost Clan of Natural Wizards. One day I was out in this creek training, and then—" He took in a shuddering breath, the memories hitting him like a fire truck—"when I returned, everyone was...dead."

A small gasp filled in the brief silence.

"I was the only one who managed to escape, and well, now, because of my magic, my guild hasn't allowed me to earn the S-Class title. They think it'll shine too much attention on me and put me in horrible danger. And yea. I have a best friend, Hoseok. Well, Jooheon and Hyunwoo too. But Hoseok was the very first person I befriended. He kind of forced me into it." Kihyun chuckled, remembering the strange raven haired boy running up to him and demanding that they be friends. "I'm in Starship all because of that brat. And yea, my element is air. If you hadn't noticed the strange changes in the wind already." On cue, a warm wind encircled the fire, pulling it up, and then letting it be. Once left alone, the embers burned even brighter, practically blinding the two boys.

Changkyun watched the blaze in amazement, blatantly ignoring the serious strain it had on his eyes. Next, he watched Kihyun, mouth open, but no words coming out. He had no idea what to say. He had no idea how to even say anything.

Kihyun noticed this very well.

"My name is Yoo Kihyun, I am 23 years old and I love singing," He said, surprising Changkyun.

"What?"

"Ignorance is bliss. What about you?" Kihyun stated simply, quoting Changkyun's words from before.

Not believing what he was hearing, Changkyun sat frozen in amazement at the fact that someone actually understood his nonsense. He beamed brighter than the fire. "My name is Lim Changkyun, I am 20 years old and I have dabbled in rapping."

"You're three years younger than me?" Kihyun couldn't believe it. "You don't look like it at all!"

Changkyun laughed at Kihyun's expression. "There's a lot for you to learn then."

And learn Kihyun did. He learned that Changkyun was a complete child on the inside, but his sword skills were completely off the charts. He learned that Changkyun was completely incapable of singing, but, as he had said, he was very decent at rapping. He learned about the small little things, such as Changkyun's favorite color, and food, which had become Kihyun's ramen. ("Oh please, not you too," Kihyun had cried)

But overall, the biggest discovery Kihyun had made was that Lim Changkyun was very, very cute.

And he wasn't entirely sure how he came to that conclusion, but if asked, he was certain he could list off a thousand reasons why and still not understand.

That fact was scary and intimidating. Kihyun laid back, watching the dim fire faintly illuminate Changkyun's sleeping face.

Sighing, Kihyun closed his eyes.

He really hated the feeling.

 

_****one love**** _

 

"You're still here," was the first thing Kihyun heard the next morning. He cracked his eyes open, immediately shielding himself from the bright light of the sun. It took him a while to adjust his eyesight. Once he did, he turned to the source of the sound, unconsciously smiling a bit at the sight of Changkyun and his cute bed hair.

Changkyun smiled at him. "You didn't leave."

Kihyun felt his heart break immediately. "You thought I would leave?"

The younger boy shook his head. "I knew you wouldn't. But it's still something to marvel about. Especially since the last time I woke up, you weren't there."

A guilty laugh was let out as Kihyun scratched the back of his neck. "Yea...sorry about that." Changkyun waved it off, and began to prepare for their departure.

 _Yea._ Kihyun thought, as he looked at the younger pack up. _He was definitely cute._

 

_****one love**** _

 

"Is Genie's possibly Genie's store?" Changkyun wondered out loud while reading the map. Kihyun looked at where the other was pointing.

"I suppose so, it's not that far from here actually. Let's go."

"It's the only store there. Must be a large franchise?"

Kihyun hummed in agreement, leading the way.

Turned out, Genie's wasn't large at all. It was the size of a shack, maybe slightly bigger. But it had its glamour. The 50 shades of purple glared at them, contrasting with the dull grey and brown shades of the other, run down, and abandoned buildings on the street.

Kihyun winced at the shine of the glitter. A proper glitter was beautiful. But too much glitter was simply a crime.

"Are we going to go in?" Changkyun asked in a whisper.

Kihyun made a face of disgust. "Do we have to?"

Reluctantly, Changkyun nodded. "We have to."

With great regret, Kihyun pushed the door open.

An old lady, wearing a floral dress and large, hipster glasses greeted them from behind her counter. She waved at them, signaling them to come on over with her fingers.

Once closer, the two boys saw the sharp, lengthy, glossed up nails. The nails were simply too sharp for comfort.

"How may I help you boys?" She asked, her gravelly voice frightening the boys.

Kihyun tried to smile, shifting his position just a bit so that the nails weren't directly in his face.

"We were wondering if you knew anything about a certain charm. Here's the picture," Kihyun began, nudging Changkyun in the ribs. The other boy bent over in pain, scrambling for the picture in his bag.

Kihyun plastered a grin on his face when handing over the image. Faintly, one of the nails scraped against his skin. The paper cut like wound stung like hell, but the boy kept the pain in, for the purpose of professionalism. Behind him, Changkyun gritted his teeth at the scene, his own fear of being scratched taking over him. It was a childish and irrational fear, but neither boy seemed to take that in account.

Ever so slowly, the sword fighter spun around in a poorly subtle manner. His eyes made show of his observing of the shop, to cover up his own weakness. While 'observing', his vision fell upon black shoes in the back of the shop. There were splatters of mud on the shoes. The black and brown hues didn't match the store's purple color scheme at all, and the fact screamed at Changkyun.

A realization dawned upon the boy as he looked up to see who was the owner of the shoes. There was no one else in the shop besides him, Kihyun, and the old lady.

When Changkyun looked back at the area where the shoes were, he was met with a clear view of nothing but floor.

The observations and suspicions he was supposed to inform Kihyun of from last night came rushing back to him.

He turned on his heels frantically, a different, less irrational sense of anxiety taking him over.

He looked at Kihyun who had turned white, a sheer expression of disbelief on his face. The old lady wasn't looking at Kihyun, but staring at him from behind her large sunglasses. Changkyun gulped as the evil eyes bore into his own.

Something was most definitely off.

"E-excuse me," Changkyun said, rolling his shoulders back and puffing his chest out to hide his anxiety. "Do you close early or late?"

The old lady gave him a knowing look, the slightest smirk playing on her lips. "We never close. It a 24/7 shop, son."

That was it. Changkyun nodded, and kept nodding, pulling on Kihyun's shirt to alert him.

But Kihyun wouldn't budge.

"We have to go," Changkyun told the lady. "We have to go!" He whispered to Kihyun in panic.

He grabbed the natural mage's arm, and leading him out of the shop, and far away into a nearby, but far away, empty street.

"Hyung!" Changkyun tried to shake Kihyun out of his daze. "Hyung! What did she say? What's wrong? Hyung!"

Kihyun was shaking. _Nature has its source, doesn't it my natural wizard. Surely you would know what this charm is then._

It couldn't be. The amulet didn't even exist. It shouldn't exist.

_Why don't you ask your friends about it then? Surely, they can't be dead, since dead people can't hide._

His friends? Dead friends? Hiding? The memories of the bodies Kihyun had found that night flashed through his brain. They were most definitely dead.

Right?

Changkyun kept shaking Kihyun, the worry eating him inside out. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approach them. They were heavy and fast, all signs pointing to the owner of the large shoes from before.

Changkyun spun, pushing Kihyun behind him. A silver sword flashed in his right hand, as his left hand held the dazed mage's hand, keeping him secure.

The footsteps stopped, and Changkyun gritted his teeth, hand clenching tightly around the hilt of his sword.

A loud howl filled the empty silence of the streets and a large wolf strut into the entrance of their street.

Changkyun stared the beast down, feet shifting ever so slightly into his battle stance. The wolf's red eyes shimmered along with its sick grin.

In seconds, it attacked.

In seconds, Changkyun stepped forward to swing his sword.

In seconds, a strange frost spread through the area, capturing the wolf mid-air.

In seconds, Changkyun sliced through nothing but ice.

The swordsman was bewildered. There was no blood. The wolf had become pure ice. He shot up, looking around to find the source of the strange magic.

Kihyun gasped, hands gripping Changkyun's arm for support.

"This magic," He breathed out. "T-this magic." And with that, he sprinted past the disappearing ice. Changkyun followed him, ready for battle.

Changkyun reached out, bringing Kihyun to a halt. The natural man looked at him questioningly, but Changkyun dismissed it, making sure that he entered the alley first.

There was a man in a black hoodie waiting for them, his face facing the wall at the end of the alley.

Changkyun readied his sword for an attack, but Kihyun stopped him, twisting the boy so that he was facing him. The slight shake of his head, and a please in his eyes had Changkyun falling back. Kihyun smiled thankfully before walking towards the man.

Kihyun's steps were light and brisk.

One by one, he found himself becoming closer and closer to the figure.

It wasn't until he was about a few steps away, when the person moved, turning around to face him.

There was a face mask underneath the hood, but for Kihyun, just one look into the other's eyes was all he needed.

Time froze when Kihyun's hand crept forward to pull the mask off.

There was no rush in his actions, as Kihyun handled the mask with caution and care.

The mask was fully off.

A large gust of wind pushed past Kihyun, throwing the hood back as well.

The white hair rustled softly.

The sad eyes hoped longingly.

A gasp ensued.

Tears fell. Each one at a time.

Kihyun's broke voice called out a name he never thought he would call out ever again.

 

 

 

"Minhyuk?"

 

 

 


	2. two love// i didn't know it was pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here ya go guys. a whopping 8252 words for your reading pleasures. enjoy :D

 

"Minhyuk?"

Minhyuk held the shaking hand reaching for his face, squeezing it reassuringly. Kihyun involuntarily shivered at the touch, Minhyuk's ice cold hands misting at the contact.

"We have to get out of here." Minhyuk's voice was deeper, much deeper than before. Kihyun swallowed back a sob.

The hand holding onto his wrist tightened, yet gentle. Minhyuk tugged Kihyun towards the opening that led into the alleyway. Like puzzle pieces fitting into each other, Kihyun's footsteps fell perfectly into Minhyuk's pace. Without another word, the natural mage followed his childhood best friend.

Just as they passed the other, Kihyun's free hand mindlessly intertwined itself into Changkyun's open palm. Confused, the younger looked at his mission partner's tearful expression, a pang twitching in his gut.

His sword vanished.

Changkyun found his place in the puzzle.

Ice spread.

And in a moment, they vanished.

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

Changkyun was frozen to the core. He was shivering, which, to be frank, was a good sign. Kihyun didn't seem to be affected from the sudden wave of magic—physically, at least.

Scanning the area, Changkyun straightened himself out. They were in a forest, quite the dense forest, too. Plants, trees, and grasses of every size were scattered in whatever space they could find.

"Where are we?" Kihyun was tugging at Minhyuk's sleeve, trying to get the other's attention. Minhyuk squinted, as to search for something in particular.

"The grove," Minhyuk answered, a hint of doubt hanging off of his answer.

Something rustled in the distance. "I thought we talked about this. We are most definitely not calling this place the groove." A tall, lanky mage appeared from behind a bush, arms carrying vibrant, ripe fruits.

Minhyuk immediately rushed forward to take the food. "Why aren't you resting?" He scolded, a new expression on his face—one that Kihyun had never seen on Minhyuk. Worry.

Hyungwon rolled his eyes, dramatically looking to side and freezing when his eyes saw Kihyun. He blanched.

"Hyung..." Minhyuk looked up, almost dropping the fruits at the pale complexion. "Hyung, I think I'm seeing things."

Minhyuk turned back to see Kihyun in the same state. He laughed the best he could, a shy hand scratching at the back of his neck. "Hyungwon-ah... You're not seeing things."

The taller couldn't bring himself to look away. "D-do you see him too?" Minhyuk gave an enthusiastic nod, anticipation scrambling in his gut.

Stepping forward, Hyungwon shook his head in denial. "He died. Kihyun-hyung died."

"So did you." The curt reply startled the taller mage. Changkyun's eyes widened as he intently observed the interaction. His heart was pounding for reasons unknown.

Hyungwon gulped, continuing to approach the air mage. "They told us that they got you before they came to our village."

"I was told everyone was dead," Kihyun said, voice cracking at the slightest. "I... I couldn't find you. There... were many bodies. But, I couldn't find you or Minhyuk in the bodies. I ju—"

Minhyuk embraced the two, a soft sob breaking out. Hyungwon's arm's immediately encircled the shorter ones, tightening the hug. Kihyun let his head drop, leaning against Hyungwon's shoulder. One by one, the three of them could feel their tears drop.

From the background, Changkyun tried his best to process the scene in front of him. While some details were hard to understand, the boy's lips quivered, eyes red and watery, nevertheless, the emotions fully comprehended.

"I really missed you guys." Kihyun fisted at both Minhyuk's and Hyungwon's shirts, pulling them closer—even if it was hardly possible. "I really missed you a lot."

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

Day fell to night in an instant. Lost in emotions and tears, neither one of the three boys left their embrace for what felt like seconds but turned to be many minutes.

The three of them had settled down eventually, mainly due to Hyungwon calling them out for being such 'saps'.

"Way to ruin the mood, you noodle," Kihyun had complained with a punch to his chest.

Hyungwon had scoffed, brushing off the light hit. "Noodle? Is that the best you can do?"

Slapping his forehead, Minhyuk had groaned in frustration. "We reunite after more than a decade, and the first thing you two do is bicker."

Kihyun had rolled his eyes, a satisfied smile on his lips. He gave Changkyun a look, one that asked 'What did you expect', as if the boy knew what was going on.

Hyungwon had laughed loudly, eyes crinkling in happiness. "Glad to see nothing has changed then."

Banter was thrown around, a chorus of embarrassing and blatantly idiotic stories that never seemed to end. Each boy had dirt on the other, much of which was profusely denied.

Changkyun was sitting in the middle of it all. Surprisingly there was no awkwardness. Minhyuk made sure to explain _each and every detail_ to the youngest, deeply delving into the roots of the inside jokes. And while the re-quip mage may not have understood most of the jokes, the notion was well appreciated, a flush of happiness coloring the tips of his ears.

Someone slapped at his shoulder. Changkyun winced and turned, his pain disappearing right away at the sight of Kihyun's head thrown back as the poor boy's body wracked in silent laughter.

Happiness. That's what Changkyun saw. Pure happiness.

For Changkyun, it seemed like the magical laughter had cleared his mind of all evils.

A sense of bliss washed over him.

With just of the sound of Kihyun's laughter, something in Changkyun burned dramatically.

Ignorance was truly bliss.

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

Kihyun knelt down next to the body of water, just as Minhyuk was.

The two of them were gathered around a relatively large pond, their sights trailing behind certain scaly creatures swimming through the rippling, cerulean water. Kihyun blinked, eyes fixated at the glowing fish gliding gracefully through the water.

"You were always mesmerized by them."

Kihyun's lips quirked up, eyes softening. He looked to his side and right into Minhyuk's glowing blue eyes.

"Since when could you do that?" He whispered in awe, gaze trailing up to the older one's white hair. The transformation was a classic sign of mastery of one's element. In Minhyuk's case, it seemed that he had captured the very essence of Ice and Water—at least if his frozen locks and water-like orbs had anything to say.

Minhyuk shrugged, a shy smile ghosting his lips. Kihyun carefully studied the man.

The blue turned to brown, and Kihyun was able to look at his childhood friend once again. The same child who's large eyes resembled that of an innocent, adorable puppy excited to play at all times. The same child who was always there for him and Hyungwon, even if there were times the other two managed to (accidentally) let him down. The same child who everyone leaned on, the boy never minding the dependency. The same child who was sensitive and insecure at times, the joyful brown orbs shaking in fear and sadness. The same child who Kihyun and Hyungwon wanted to protect from all the harm in the world.

The same child who was Kihyun's best friend.

Nothing was different.

Nothing seemed different.

But Yoo Kihyun knew better.

Shadows were darker now. Minhyuk's face wasn't as bright as before, the light diminishing with the fallen shade. Tired. Exhaustion screamed at him, and Kihyun's heart tore for his friend.

"Kihyeoni, you're staring." Kihyeoni. He hadn't been called that in a long time.

A soft yet harsh gust of wind playfully blew at Minhyuk. The other chuckled, falling back into the grass. Kihyun mimicked the movements.

He stared at the moon, the frequency of the whistling blades of grass cutting into him as his power coursed through him. Kihyun then thought of Hyungwon.

He was still dorky. He was still a jerk. He was still tall. He was still quiet and tired.

But he was paler. Much more paler. Too pale. Sickly pale.

"Was Hyungwon always that...pale?"

Minhyuk's gaze shifted to his, bright, chocolate eyes wavering in worry. For a moment, no one said anything. Minhyuk seemed pensive, too pensive, as if he was carefully planning out his answer. Slowly he shook his head. "Remember when the elders told us to never overuse our abilities. Especially in one attack?"

"Uh-huh?" It was common knowledge even outside of their tribe. Every magic type had its limits. Never should a mage ever push past that limit. It's borderline suicide.

"The dumbass did that exact thing."

Kihyun tensed. He wasn't expecting that answer. "But—wait—his powers—they could d—How and why an—"

"To protect me." Icicles suddenly shot like spears through the flowing water, piercing straight into each of the individual fish in the school that had just shown up. Kihyun's gaze never left Minhyuk.

"What?" The air mage was quiet, his voice breaking. A soft breeze brushed around Minhyuk, comfort bracing the man.

"The people who attacked our village... they never found what they were looking over. They must have thought we were dead,because they went around without a care and ransacked through every corner in our village. Hyungwon and I... we tried to run away, hoping to find you. But we weren't quiet enough."

Kihyun brought his arms around himself, the memory of the invasion sending chills down his spine.

"One of the men heard us and followed us. Hyungwon and I fled as fast as we could. But the adult was too fast. Just as he was about to grab onto 'Won's sleeve, I jumped into overdrive and transported us far away."

Closing his eyes, Kihyun took in a sharp breath. Transportation. It was one of the hardest skills to master. The ability, on average, took a few years to even develop. For a young child like Minhyuk was to even achieve it—Kihyun shook away the thought. Minhyuk had always been quicker in picking such quirks up, never one to be exceptionally talent at the normal, common tricks but instead, the tougher and more complex ones.

"Hyungwon almost turned into ice." Minhyuk let out a dry chuckle. "He was freezing. Just as your friend was today." But Changkyun wasn't a natural mage, Minhyuk didn't say. Only natural mages were able to fully adapt to the dangerous magic. Transportation with a non-natural could kill them if the slightest detail were to go wrong.

Kihyun let his breath out. "Then?"

"Then?" The icicles dissipated, the dead fish falling through the surface of the water. Others of the same family swam over, light flowing to the fallen. "We forgot about that guy who had chased us for the most part. It wasn't a until a few years later when they came into the town we were hiding in. They asked for some amulet from the head of the village. Those people think we have it. Not too long ago, they found us while we were on the run. That man—he's too strong. I was barely winning against his fire when he brought out his air attacks. Hyungwon projected himself to save me."

Projection, a technique that transformed the mage into the element in such a powerful manner that the human inside would lose a piece of himself from the impact. It was the most harmful attack for both the opponent and the caster, one that was only to be used in the utmost emergency. Kihyun's eyes widened.

_Nature has its source, doesn't it my natural wizard. Surely you would know what this charm is then._

"Is that amulet..." He started, the weight of a certain flyer suddenly seeming to be a bit too heavy in his pocket. "...is it the Light?"

Minhyuk nodded grimly. "Yes, yes it is."

Kihyun instantly connected two with two. The page burned a hole through his pocket. "Minhyuk, what's the name of the group after us?"

A fist formed and the ground was struck with freeze. Minhyuk's icy white eyes shone as hatred dripped off of the name spoken.

"In-ter-ste-llar."

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

"It's quite big, I get it, Changkyun. Don't break your neck," Kihyun spoke, the offish tone barely recognizable. The younger one slowly came back from his backward stretch, his hand soothingly subbing at his sore neck.

The Interstellar Mansion—no, Headquarters—was large, probably the largest building on the planet. Kihyun had never seen a building constructed so tall.

Changkyun stepped back a bit, gasping when he saw the top more clearly. "Hyung!" He exclaimed, pointing like a child. "The building goes into the clouds."

Kihyun made a face of disbelief, yet still tempted by the awestruck Changkyun. Sure enough, once he fell back, he saw the sight plain and clear: the glass windows reaching past the cotton-like puffs, reflecting the darker blue hidden behind them. Something flashed in his mind: a memory. A bright smile, the eyes of the person covered with fluffy brown hair. Kihyun rolled his eyes, his thoughts immediately turning to one particular mission he had done with Hoseok. It had been on the mountains, particularly with an air-type villain. Hoseok + heights was a big no-no.

Kihyun immediately shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. Now was not the time for reminiscence about his life back at Starship.

Now was the time for answers.

The front doors buzzed, alarming the duo. "How may we help you?"

Kihyun leaned towards the source of the sound, unsure as to what he was to speak into.

"Hello? Our names are Yoo Kihyun and Im Changkyun. We're here to _inquire_ about the amulet mission." Inquire was said with more emphasis than probably necessary, but Kihyun's protective instincts were beginning getting the better of him as he recalled the reason for the visit.

_"What?!" Minhyuk had shot up from his position once Kihyun explained his end of the mission._

_Kihyun's wide eyes darted back and forth as he was overcome with guilt for choosing the mission. "Sh-should I drop the mission then? I'll just stay with you guys. And Ch—"_

_"Have you met with the people?" Minhyuk cut him off. Kihyun shook his head._

_"Meet with them," Minhyuk gulped, finding great difficulty in the decision. "You have to continue the mission. Having an insider view is always good when in a fight, right?"_

Sounds from the other end broke in the strange signals. The voice spoke again, "Have you already accepted the mission and begun it?"

Changkyun nodded, wide eyed. He, too, was puzzled, more so than Kihyun. No answer came for a while, and Kihyun was certain that he had imagined it all.

Crack! "Yes, you may proceed. Please make your way to the 72nd floor. The lift is ready for you." Automatically, the front doors parted, revealing a strange basket-like, floating item waiting for them.

"Is this the lift?" Changkyun whispered, his breath whooshing through Kihyun's dark auburn locks. The latter shivered.

In response to the question, the item in inquiry stirred, a magic circle illuminating in it. Sparkles shot through the woven threads.

"Seems like it." Kihyun didn't move. Changkyun looked at him, amused. Kihyun's gaze shifted from Changkyun to the lift to Changkyun to the lift and then to Changkyun again. He sighed dramatically.

"Alright, alright!" Holding his hands up in defeat, the boy stomped frustratedly into the awaiting charm. "Happy now?" Changkyun nodded, smile growing. Kihyun couldn't help but mimic the expression. _What a child_ , he thought.

The magenta magic circle began to turn and grow, brightness increasing as the item shook. The spinning quickened and the shaking ceased. In a flash, the two boys were launched into the air, like an arrow shot from an archer's bow.

When the lift froze in front of the blinking '72' sign, Kihyun was no longer standing on his two feet and Changkyun was wearing the biggest and most smug grin he had ever worn in his life.

"Aren't you an air natural mage?" He asked, looking down at the man in his arms. Kihyun looked around, realization dawning over him. Instantly, the boy jumped down from Changkyun's hold.

Brushing off the dirt on his clothes, Kihyun ignored Changkyun's obnoxious giggling. Rolling his eyes, he stomped away. "Wipe that smirk off of your face." Changkyun tried his best to calm the smile, but with no avail.

Ahead in front of them, a bright, magnificent label of a lowercase 'i' greeted them. The only door on the floor was ajar, the faint lighting calling out to them.

Kihyun's legs moved quick, shoulders rolled back as a deep breath rolled through him. He was ready. He was ready for whatever was on the other side of the door.

Changkyun followed, completely unaware of the raging storm in Kihyun's gut.

The door turned on its hinge to the melody of its creaks. Kihyun's heart pounded. It wasn't until Changkyun greeted the person sitting on the other end that he was able to focus properly.

Kihyun bowed, head still up as he stared at the young woman at the desk in confusion. _Are we at the right place?_ He wondered, brows furrowed.

"Are you Kihyun-ssi and Changkyun-ssi?" The lady asked with a welcoming, warm smile. Kihyun was, more or less, expecting a rather dark, large creature. 

"That we are," Changkyun acknowledged, immediately take the seat offered. He turned when Kihyun didn't move, brow cocked up in question. Kihyun blinked before shaking his and taking the seat next to the younger.

The coordinator's gaze lingered on Kihyun a bit longer than necessary. The welcoming façade was scrapped away, and the natural mage shifted uncomfortably under the gaze. 

"How may I help you today? You both have accepted the amulet mission, correct? Are you working together?" Her hand held her fountain pen tightly, sharp characters etched across the sheet as she took the necessary notes.

Changkyun happily answered the questions. Whether it was due to him noticing the older's condition or not, Kihyun was incredibly grateful for the boy.

"We are working together very well. There are no issues, so I wouldn't worry about that. We actually were a bit stuck? As in what the amulet was, and if there were any leads for it." Kihyun's stare was transfixed at Changkyun's hands, as they darted out and about in the erratic motions that the boy was making while he spoke. The unpredictability of the movements was rather cute and while mindlessly nodding, Kihyun smiled a bit.

More scratches were made on the paper. "I see. That's nice to hear. The more the better, especially in this mission," The employee turned to Kihyun. "If it's okay, I would like to know your magic types before revealing any information. It's just for record keeping."

Kihyun stared back, smile still present. "I'm a requip mage," Changkyun chimed. He, too, turned to Kihyun expectantly.

"I'm an air elemental mage."

Changkyun's eyes widened, and before the younger's body language could significantly change, Kihyun conjured a soft, comforting breeze to surround the younger, as a sign of reassurance. Without changing his expression, Kihyun glanced at Changkyun and gave a slight nod. _Trust me._

Changkyun relaxed back in his seat, any sign of shock gone. The small fidgets with his fingers spoke differently, but Kihyun didn't worry much, aware that it took knowing Changkyun to notice them.

The coordinator's pen was frozen in the air. "Nothing else?" She asked, tone high, as if she were trying to drawing something out of Kihyun.

Kihyun denied the question quickly. "Nope. I'm merely an air elemental mage. Why? Is that a problem?"

A small laugh broke out from the woman, as she straightened herself out. "No, none at all. I was just—" She shook her head. "—it's nothing. Don't worry."

Kihyun leaned back. "So, then, if we are clear, then can we hear the extra details?"

The pen was discarded to the side. "To be frank, the only details we have are that the antique is quite the rare collector's item that the boss wants. The picture you have is the one that sold it to him, and he's been looking for it every since. That's all that we actually know, besides the fact that the boss really wants it."

" _A collector's_ _item_?" Kihyun didn't mean to say it in the way that it came out.

Changkyun tilted his head to the side a bit, eyes staring at Kihyun through the peripheral. Kihyun was aware of it. He knew Changkyun was trying to read him.

"Why?" The lady returned to her gaze that she had looked at Kihyun with in the beginning. "Do you know something about this amulet?"

Kihyun tried to swallow the dryness in his throat away. "Why would I be here then?" 

The employee chuckled darkly. "Oh. You will be surprised to know why some people come here."

Eyes darting between the two, Changkyun cleared his throat and suddenly stood up. "If that's all you have, I guess we should get a move on then. Time is a ticking away. Thank you for your time."

A sour smile turned to the younger. "Sure, it was my pleasure."

Defensive, Kihyun joined Changkyun. "Ours too." 

Placing his hand on Kihyun's back, the younger ushered him out of the room and into the hallway. "What was that in there, hyung?" He asked once a safe distance away from the room. The question wasn't harsh, but concerned.

Kihyun opened his mouth to answer, only to grab at Changkyun's arm and yank the younger one away from the incoming person. They collided with the side wall, and Kihyun glared up at the rude individual. He was just about to yell at him, when his memory registered the side profile.

Kihyun gasped, the grip on CHangkyun's arm tightening.

The man turned, and the world seemed to warp itself into slow motion. Kihyun frantically dragged Changkyun down the hall and into the lift, his legs sluggish and strangely heavier. The lift took a while to rev up to life, and when Kihyun looked up one last time, his sanity left him completely.

The man smirked and winked.

Kihyun geared into overdrive and transported the duo immediately.

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

With great difficulty, Kihyun managed to transport him and Changkyun to the site without much difficulty. Weak to his knees, Kihyun fell straight to the ground when they were fully present in the forest.

"Hyung," Changkyun called out softly, light hands wrapping around his weak frame. Nothing else was said as Kihyun tried to recollect his mind.

"I'm fine." Forcefully, Kihyun pushed the gentle hold away. Changkyun resisted. "I'm fine."

The wilted flowers in the grass pulled his attention immediately. Kihyun frowned. His hands wrapped around Changkyun's, this time pulling his forward.

"Hyungwon," Kihyun whispered in shock. "Something's wrong."

Shaky feet fell in an erratic beat as the two boys dashed straight for the clearing.

The cold hit them instantly, frost tipping each one of their hairs. Kihyun's gaze fell on the sobbing Minhyuk grasping what seemed to be that hand of the ghost that was Hyungwon.

Minhyuk looked up at the two of them, and Changkyun's grip tightened.

"My he-healing isn't wo-orking," He hiccuped in the quietest voice he could manage. "T-the fever...it's no—not—"

Hyungwon's magic was disappearing fast. The void that had been left from the projection was growing immensely, the speed not even magically possible as a black hole was eating the mage from the inside, gulling him out.

Hyungwon was dying.

Changkyun's eyes teared up, and Kihyun's mind charged into haywire.

 _There had to be something._ Kihyun searched his memory for anything, the desperation clouding the past he was plowing through.

"Minhyuk," Kihyun clasped the trembling hands. "Do you remember the flower that Teacher had told us had the most healing power?" He was trying his best to maintain his composure, becoming the thin thread holding them all together at that moment.

" _Noxium_ _Renascendo_?" The ice mage sniffed. "But it's colony was destroyed in the invasion, how are you going to find it?"

 _Not find it_ , Kihyun thought darkly. _Make it_. Letting go of both Changkyun's and Minhyuk's hands, Kihyun hopped back a bit. His fingers threaded through the grass in the ground, a green glow tracing the outline of his hands. Eyes shut tightly, Kihyun focused intently on the energies of the ground around them, converging it with his own.

It was difficult.

Hyungwon's inner magical abyss was sucking out the life from the surrounding Earth. Whatever was left was thrown in a battle between Kihyun and Hyungwon.

There wasn't enough power from his end. The _Noxium_ _Renascendo_ was a herb with it's own magic. In order to conjure it, an immense amount of magic was needed, more than what Kihyun had in himself.

Changkyun stared at the struggling man helplessly. His own power itched to help out, but the boy was clueless how to do so.

"We need to lend him our power," Minhyuk then whispered, left arm outstretched, his eyes glowing silver. Changkyun saw the magic steam off of Minhyuk, a cloud drifting straight to Kihyun.

Changkyun summoned his own rock weapon. The large sword was made of pure rock, its blade lined with the unbreakable diamond. Taking in a deep breath, Changkyun ejected his own power through the sword and into the ground. The blade pierced the Earth's crust and the dirt rumbled, ripples moving in towards Kihyun.

The natural mage's eyes flew open, green orbs glaring at sliver of ground surrounded by his hands. A baby bud sprouted out, and moments later, petals spread out. The green light disappeared suddenly, and the flower burst out.

Kihyun panted heavily, completely drained out. He fell limp to his side, eyes threatening to close on him.

Minhyuk's hand shot forward to pluck the plant out. Changkyun leaped forward to Kihyun and brought the older's head in his laps, helping him into a comfortable position.

Minhyuk milked the Noxium Renascendo, drawing out a potion of high medicinal value. He gently opened Hyungwon's mouth and poured the concoction in. Hyungwon gulped. A flush returned to his cheeks, a drapery of green light surrounding him.

Worry was evident on Changkyun features. Kihyun was unmoving, a tint of purple threatening to spread across his lips. Remembering their strange encounter back at the headquarters, Changkyun tried to form words. "Something happened today at In-ter-ste-llar... do you know why he was acting so strange?"

Minhyuk blinked. "Didn't he te—I thought he told you of our conversation. In-ter-ste-llar is the organization that destroyed the Lost Clan."

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

_Kihyun ran and ran and ran. His face splitting smile grew and grew as his baby curls flopped in the air._

_"Minhyuk-ah!" His high pitched voice yelled in joy. "Hyungwonnie! I found it! I found it!" The small child waved the herb in the air, his jogging earning a little skip._

_The boy entered the clearing in which the three of them had built their small getaway house, a treehouse like structure that could be charmed to leave the ground and merge into the trees whenever necessary. It was their hideaway, the place where they would spend most of their days playing, practicing, and playing._

_Kihyun stopped in his tracks. He looked at the emptiness of the house. "Minhyukkie? 'Wonnie?" A pout formed on his lips, his cheeks puffing out. "This isn't funny. Guys? where are you?"_

_Kihyun searched high and low, with no luck. Sadly, the kid stared at his prize in his hands._

_"Minhyukkie? 'Wonnie?" The boy raised the herb, this time with less enthusiasm. "I found i—" A gloved hand covered his mouth and ripped the plant from his hands. Harshly, the child was shoved to the ground._

_"Hey!" Kihyun shrieked, punching at the air. "That's mine! Find your own you meanie!"_

_The attacked dropped the herb and stepped on it, digging his heel into it and crushing it to powder. Kihyun's eyes widened in shock. Still shaken up, he didn't react immediately to the rough hands grabbing at his shirt and lifting him up off of the ground._

_"What's your name kid?" The grave voice asked._

_Kihyun was still staring at the crushed herb. "You destroyed it." His voice was unnaturally low._

_The stranger snorted. "I asked for your name kid."_

_Kihyun ignored the burn of the strong hold. "You crushed it. Just like that." Kihyun slowly cocked his head, large eyes turning to look at the man. "Do you know how long I spent looking for it?" There was a crisp chill shooting through the air._

_"What the..." Kihyun was let go, but the child didn't fall straight to the ground._

_Kihyun remained afloat, this time his own powers supporting him. The air swirled around him, small leaves circling around him. The attacker braced himself, a little nervous. He had never seen such magnitude of power in a child's body._

_Kihyun's eyes glowed silver. Piercing spear like projections of hot air shot out at the ambusher. The other man smirked. Just as the arrows made contact with his body, they dispersed, the energy redirected for Kihyun, his own powers trapping the kid._

_Kihyun struggled helplessly against his own binds._

_"You've got some nerve kid." The man proceeded forward. He came face to face with young Kihyun, vicious, crazed eyes boring into the shaking brown orbs._

_The winds turned black, practically stilling. Slowly, Kihyun could feel an emptiness take over him, in such a way that he wasn't able to breathe properly. The child tried to trash around as he tried to intake air past his throat only to feel a burning in his lungs. He couldn't move. He was paralyzed._

_"I would suggest that you don't ever use your powers ever again." The man laughed with his words. "If you do..." His hands lit ablaze. "...everyone you love will surely perish."_

_The man vanished with the darkness. Kihyun fell to the ground, only to look up at the now vast and open space in front of him, the streets of his village cramped with limp, lifeless bodies._

_A scream pierced through the child's sore throat._

Kihyun's eyes shot open, his body too exhausted to move with the shock. His heartbeat was erratic, but breaths slow.

It had been a while since the nightmare had plagued him, and all Kihyun could do was stare helplessly into the sky. Given his circumstances, the mage tried to resist the urge to cry, sob, and shut down. _Minhyuk and Hyungwon are okay_ , Kihyun attempted to console himself. _They're okay._

Eyes threatening to close on him, Kihyun shifted around to changed his position. As much as he desired to remain awake, replenishing his depleted energy was his priority for the night.

Praying for a peaceful sleep, Kihyun sighed. His head fell against someone warm. The soft breaths identified the man, and Kihyun let his hair blow back across the arm.

In an instant, he was asleep.

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

Changkyun was the first to wake, a sense of consciousness dawning over him as he felt a strange soft, fluff sensation on his arm. He looked down to see Kihyun's head tilted towards him, the hair fully spread across his arm.

Changkyun didn't dare to move.

That is until Minhyuk stirred as well.

"Changkyun-ah? Are you awake?" Minhyuk whispered loudly, completely defeating the purpose of the whisper.

"Yea hyung," The youngest answered quietly.

Rolling over to his side, Minhyuk tried to rub the sleep away from his face with no avail. His stomach suddenly growled, and the boy frowned, looking up at the sky.

"What time is it?" He wondered out loud. The night air whistled.

Changkyun mirrored the expression. "It's night? We all passed out." His stomach cried out as well.

Minhyuk thought for a minute, eyes flitting between Hyungwon and Kihyun. "They're dead tired," He observed pensively. Changkyun nodded in agreement. Minhyuk hummed. "The both of us are tired too..." Changkyun nodded more. Minhyuk smiled, clapping his hands in delight. "We'll just get something from outside."

At that, Changkyun froze for a split second. "Huh?" _Outside?_

Minhyuk sat up on his knees and stretching. "Can you get the food? I'll tend to these two. There's a trick to waking them up."

Changkyun nodded without much protest. "What should I get?" He asked with a yawn. Blinking the few specks of sleep away, the younger stretched while grabbing his materials.

Minhyuk hummed again, way too cheerily for someone who had just woken up.

"Pizza? Meat? Cola? Just the basics." There was a pep in his words.

Changkyun giggled at the reply. "Minhyuk hyung, you read my mind."

Minhyuk smiled darkly. "Who says I didn't?"

Changkyun almost dropped his belongings. "Natural wizards can read minds, too?" His ears flushed a deep shade of red, and Minhyuk couldn't help but laugh at the innocent face.

"No, they absolutely cannot," A groggy, deep voice called out. "And we are not only eating pizza and cola. Hyungwon needs to heal."

When the pizza duo looked back at the Kihyun, they simultaneously gulped at the intense glare being sent their way. 

Minhyuk cursed under his breath. "I forgot he was a light sleeper. Being with Hyungwon all these years, I literally lost all my sense of waking time."

Kihyun stumbled back on his feet. "Changkyun-ah, grab my stuff too. We're getting _real_ food." He cocked his brow at Minhyuk challengingly.

Minhyuk grimaced, eyes wide in fright. "Yikes, he's grumpy." He placed a hand on Changkyun's shoulder. Remorsefully, he whispered. "Good luck man. I hope you come back in one piece."

"Oh for God's sake Lee Minhyuk, learn how to whisper."

 

**_**two love**_ **

 

Conveniently, there was a nearby town, as the forest was right out on its outskirts. It was fairly tiny, the wooden buildings turning back the hands of time, setting the sepia filter in the air, as if the world had suddenly become an old motion picture film.

Bed hair and beyond, the duo strolled silently through the streets, Changkyun following Kihyun like a lost puppy behind his master. Kihyun glanced around, a vague feeling of deja vu overtaking him. The town had the vibes of the same place where he and Changkyun had met, a few days back. Kihyun smiled softly, eyes crinkling at the thought of the strange encounter.

In the distance, an illuminated alleyway was buzzing, more than the other streets of the town. Kihyun beelined for it, a perplexed Changkyun hot on his trails. Right before they entered the marketplace, Kihyun stilled, noticing the tiny pizza and fast food point right at the mouth of the alley. It was the perfect location to lure the reluctant healthy eaters away from the fresh produce. Business must be good. Shaking his head, Kihyun chuckled. "Of course Minhyuk would choose to live near this town. That joint must have their most business from the dumbass."

Changkyun's mouth watered instantly at the lavish, vivid images of the fried goodness that was hanging on display in the shop's windows. A tug on his hand pulled him away from the junk food delights and into the fresh air of the farmer's marketplace.

Kihyun's head was darting from side to side as he examined the vegetables and fruits on the carts from afar. Planning carefully, Kihyun made a mental list of the least amount of ingredients he would need to construct their next meal.

"Changkyun-ah," Kihyun said distractedly. "Go and carefully pick out a few tomatoes. I'll be here at the meat cart."

In the blink of an eye, Changkyun was left alone in the foreign healthiness hell. Frantically, the boy sprinted for the nearest cart which, thankfully, had the tomatoes.

The red vegetables glared at him, bright lighting reflected by their skin harshly. Changkyun squinted, examining the produce. Well, more staring. Picking one up, he carefully scanned the outside appearance, trying to determine the ripeness.

They all looked the same.

Panicked, the mage held two at a time, testing the weight, the color, the smell, and the skin. Nothing was different. Changkyun stared at the vegetable in pure bewilderment. It was round. It was large. It was red. What else could there be to a tomato?

A rustling neared him, and a hand came down on his shoulder. Changkyun was too enthralled by the vegetables to notice.

"How many do you h—" Kihyun blinked. "Changkyun, what are you even doing?"

Sheepishly, the younger held out the two tomatoes he had managed to hold the whole time Kihyun was buying meat. The other sighed dramatically with an eye roll.

"Those are literally the worst tomatoes you could pick out," He stated blatantly. Plucking them from the embarrassed boy's hands, Kihyun lightly squeezed them. "See? They're mushy." Motioning with his hand, Kihyun leaned over the cart, picking up three tomatoes in one go. "These," He handed them over. "are firm and red. They're quite large too."

Changkyun marveled at the ripe tomatoes. "You're amazing," he whispered unknowingly. Kihyun giggled when a tomato-like flush stained the younger's ears.

"No need to remind me. Why don't you pick one more out? We should be good with that."

Changkyun nervously gulped. Suddenly, he felt incredibly small in front of the tomatoes. A trembling hand inched forward, pointing at the brightest one in the middle. Right away, Kihyun nodded in approval.

"You learn fast," He commented while retrieving the chosen one. "C'mon, after paying we're returning home."

 _Home._ Changkyun liked the sound of that. It was the first time he'd heard it in— He'd never really heard it in relation to him ever. Right then, a stupid, sappy grin spread across his complexion. The boy had to turn around to avoid creeping Kihyun out with the giddy expression.

But once he did, Changkyun's smile fell immediately. Instinctively, he outstretched his hand to summon a weapon, his foot stepping to move his body into a defensive state behind Kihyun and in front of the incoming man.

The man from the In-ter-ste-llar corridor neared them. With every step he took, the lights dimmed and dimmed and dimmed.

"Ah," The professional tone failed at masking the devil inside. Changkyun's shock turned into fight. "You're the requip mage, right? Ch—chain—umm..."

"Changkyun."

The fellow tilted his face in what was supposed to be a nod. The beady eyes blew up, the grin spreading out to a frightening sight. "And I take that's the _elemental mage_ behind you, Yoo Kihyun?"

At the call of his name, Kihyun glanced back, eyes widening instantly. His hands clutched the plastic bags in his hand tightly.

"Yes, it is," Changkyun answered, never letting his front down. "To what may be owe our pleasure for this meeting?"

"You speak well," The man complimented. "I'll cut to the chase then. Yoo Kihyun-ssi, why did you lie?"

"Lie?" Kihyun frowned. 

"Don't play with me. You know what you lied about." The man stepped forward, completely ignoring Changkyun in front of him as his stared directly at Kihyun.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." The reply was barely as strong as the natural mage had hoped it would be.

The man chuckled darkly. He held his face in disbelief. "There you go again. Why, is there something wrong with revealing your identity, Mr. Natural Mage?"

"Natural mages are dead." Changkyun spoke up without missing a beat. 

The other seemed surprised. "Really? Oh I believe that I can prove you wrong."

A rush of energy alerted Kihyun, his vision dropping down to the male's outstretched hand. A vacuum spun in the air in front of it. Gasping, Kihyun glanced at Changkyun.

"Changkyun duck!" With a shove, he pushed the younger to the side. In that split second, the dark energy drove straight to his face. Kihyun held his breath and flicked his wrist, a gust of wind immediately deflecting the power into the nearest cart's wheels.

"You can't hold yourself back for long." The attacker taunted. A ruckus spread across the marketplace, as citizens dispersed in fear.

Kihyun cursed under his breath. Scowling, the boy lifted his hand and threw the enemy across the alley. In the spare time he had secured, Kihyun dragged Changkyun out of the alley and into the empty streets of the town. He didn't stop there as he sprinted across the span of the main road.

"Changkyun! We need to lure him out!" Kihyun commanded, leading them in the opposite direction of their forest. Thankfully the town was connected to a thin, rocky and sandy road that had never been properly paved. While on one side was the forest, the other was an open, clear field. _Perfect_ , Kihyun thought.

A crash almost threw the duo off balance. Changkyun glanced back, his legs buckling in an instant.

The man was being carried by a dark, violent tornado, lighting flashing within the storm. His eyes were shining a dark purple, that could easily be mistaken as black. At the feet of the tempest was nothing but destruction. 

Kihyun summoned a magic circle underneath the storm, the burst of silver wind counterattacking the spin. It slowed the attacker down, but not for long.

They had made it out to the clearing. The tornado was so loud that Changkyun had to shout to Kihyun for communication.

"How do we fight that thing?" Kihyun gritted his teeth as he analyzed the figure in front of him.

"We have to slow it down!" He ordered, entering a fighting stance. "You aim for the person, I'll handle the twister!"

Changkyun nodded, hands spread. A blue flash took shape of a bow, the arrows appearing in a quiver draped across his chest and on his back. From the low level, the boy aimed and fired three arrows at a time. Two of them were deflect by the gusts, the third missing the attacker's head by mere centimeters.

Kihyun knelt to the ground. He closed his eyes in focus. Following the movements of each individual turn of the air, Kihyun's hands began to make complex circular motions, growing from large to small. The brief explosion of silver air reappeared, this time entwining itself with the black magic. Kihyun's brows furrowed as he began to manipulate the tornado's spin. Slowly, rope like rays of shining light began to faintly surrounded the dark magic in the opposite motion. The magic spread, and the storm began to fall apart, piece by piece.

Changkyun's arrows swarmed the general area in which the man was controlling the magic from, his barrage of attacks becoming an effective distraction and causing the man's magic to effectively weaken.

"It's working!" Changkyun exclaimed joyfully.

The man roared, reaching his limit. A whip of black magic strung out and dispelled Kihyun's energy. "Yoo Kihyun!" He bellowed. The whip disintegrated, weaving itself through the said mage's magic circle.  "Do you not recall my warning? Have you not taken heed to my words? Do you wish for everyone you love to perish?"

Kihyun mentally tried to block out the jeers, attentive towards the stating energy plaguing his magic. He resisted, but the black magic held him in place. 

A low chuckle vibrated through the recouperating dark storm. "Maybe I'll have to teach you again." He blinked in Changkyun's direction. "I'll start with him then."

Changkyun stepped back and lowered his bow in horror at the storm intensifying. His attention was captured by every one of his arrows shaking in the wind around the man, arrowheads not pointed towards the enemy, but at him. With the snap of a finger, they were launched.

"No!" Whatever silver was left disappeared from the tornado, the light blazing around each arrow and destroying them one by one. Kihyun jumped up in front of Changkyun, arms outstretched. They both panted, chests heaving up and down.

Kihyun was choking, face fallen into anxiety and fear. A ribbon of black magic roped around his arms. Changkyun grabbed at his partner, yelping at the sudden spark it sent his way. The gale force winds pushed the duo back and into the air, slamming them on the ground.

The maniacal laughter erupted like thunder from the clouds. Kihyun tried to resist, knowing that it was futile. Suddenly, his nightmare began to twist its way into Kihyun's reality as a hopeless, vulnerable state took over him.

Meanwhile, Changkyun stared at the distorted blades of grass in front of him. He tried to stand up, but not even his requipping magic could break through the uproar. He willed—no, prayed— for anything from an ant to divine intervention to help them.

Just then, a sharp scream of pain rang out into the clouds. Changkyun looked up with great difficulty to see flames accelerate the air gusts, heating the molecules beyond excitement.

A rather built figure stepped in front of them, their brown leather jacket flapping in the wind. The blue tipped wisps of hair danced furiously. The person raised his arm, a similarly colored purple magic circle glowing. It drew the rapid tornado towards him, and he bit into it, the black magic visibly coursing through his veins and into his body as he swallowed the magic. The feasting revealed a clear picture of the enemy at the other end, unconscious at the hands of another muscled, yet taller being. Next to him a black haired boy stood with a bright smile on his face. Flames wisped at the tips of his hair. 

The lad who had eaten the storm cringed, tongue out and face scrunched up as if the taste of the black magic had been incredibly sour. Eyes widening, the man jumped back to Kihyun's side in a split second. Light fingers touched his arms, softly bringing the man in his lap. The dark lines wrapped around his own and seeped deep into his bloodstream. Kihyun slowly returned to the world.

"Hoseok?"

'Hoseok''s head suddenly shot up, ignoring Kihyun and facing Changkyun directly. The intense glare had Changkyun's spine chilling instantly. Behind him, the black haired boy sprinted across and towards Kihyun. "Kihyun hyung!" He exclaimed, quick to help the air mage to his feet. After binding the attacker down, the taller man followed enthusiastically, a caring smile on his lips.

"Jooheon?" Kihyun spoke, voice cracking in disbelief. "Hyunwoo hyung?"

Jooheon draped an arm around Kihyun's shoulders. "That's us, hyung. Hoseok hyung led here at the right time, didn't he?"

Kihyun shared a look with Hoseok, the older's feature not even softening a bit, completely different than it was a few moments ago. The natural mage gulped and looked down in shame.

"Ignore Hoseok," Hyunwoo reassured, rubbing Kihyun's back. "He's just worried."

Hoseok scoffed, rolling his eyes. Changkyun straightened himself out when the man directed his attention back towards him.

"Who's this twerp?" Changkyun flinched at the tone.

Kihyun's head shot up, the embarrassment gone and irritation written in the creases of his frown. "Hoseok..."

"It's actually _Wonho_ ," Hoseok corrected with a look.

" _Hoseok_..." Kihyun stressed warningly.

Incredibly pressured and awkward under the attention of the four intense gazes (of which one was distasteful, two that were curious, and one that was irritated yet incredibly apologetic), Changkyun's mouth spoke before he could think.

"I.M." He rushed out. "I—I am I.M." 

Exasperated, Kihyun sputtered out a meager 'What?'. Jooheon looked at his hyung in question. "His name is Changkyun," Kihyun explained softly.

Midst it all, Changkyun mentally slapped himself. He tightly shut his eyes, willing for everything to go away.

"I.M?" Wonho/Hoseok repeated mockingly. "What kind of name is that?"

"Well, I mean... hyung, what kind of name is Wonho?" Jooheon pointed out, sending Changkyun an awkward smile.

Hoseok sighed in frustration. "Guys, please. I'm trying to interrogate—"

"Terrorize."

Hoseok's veins visibly bulged in his forehead. "— _interrogate_ this fine young lad who was fighting beside our sweet Kihyunnie." 

Changkyun's lips quirked up at the nickname. Hoseok noticed the slip up right away.

"You find this _funny_?" He asked, tone almost scolding.

Kihyun detached himself from Jooheon's side to create a wall between his partner and his idiotic best friend.

"Hoseok, that is enough, you're scaring him." Hoseok snorted, putting his hands up.

"I'm just trying to help—"

"You're really not." Kihyun finished with a firm voice. A moment passed and Hoseok took a glimpse at the scene around them.

Presenting the field with a sweeping hand gesture, the other spoke. "I would beg to differ."

"Getting possessive is not helping anyone."

Hoseok exhaled sharply through his nose. "Well excuse me for caring about my best friend."

A light headache began to pound at Kihyun's head. Massaging his temples, Kihyun clicked his tongue. "If you really want to help..."

Without missing a heartbeat, Hoseok whispered. "We do."

"...then tell us how you found where we are."

Changkyun held his breath, curious eyes watching the scene. From behind Kihyun, the boy could feel the tension choke him.

Hyunwoo, being the leader he was, replied calmly. "We were informed by the mission provider about your whereabouts. Although, they never told us about Changkyun-ssi."

The mentioned boy moved, a frown on his face. "Mission provider?" Kihyun mirrored the expression.

Jooheon nodded. "In-ter-ste-llar, right?"

Changkyun's wide eyes turned to look at the forest, where, at just the right moment, an explosion rose to the air.

From the distance, the bound enemy broke free, cynically erupting in laughter. He disappeared in an instant, a move that Changkyun had grown quite familiar with. 

A similar form of magic twisted towards them, dropping Minhyuk and Hyungwon in the barren grassland. They were lightly burnt, a small flame still burning in one of Minhyuk's strands of hair. 

Kihyun and Changkyun sprinted to them. Minhyuk's wide, shaken eyes looked straight into Kihyun's desperate and worried ones. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"They know," He managed to rasp before passing out. "They know we don't have the amulet." 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tried my best at editting it. i may give it a go over again since i am not satisfied(?) with some parts but oh well. 
> 
> how was it? did it make sense? did you enjoy it? i am open for advice and constructive criticism at all times :D
> 
> regarding the next part, if i start it soon, it should take about the month that it took me to write this. i doubt that ill be able to begin it right away, due to competitions and SATs and whatnot, but ill try my best :D (not to mention, the next part will be longer since its the concluding one rip)
> 
> anyways, i hope you liked it. if there are any confusions or any mistakes please let me know and ill fix them :D


	3. three love// but now i want it to be our memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> be warned... this is like 10+k words what the

The silence that followed during their retreat was unnerving. Kihyun and Minhyuk walked slowly with Hyungwon leaning against the both of them in the middle. All three were shaken, the brunt of the shock having affected Hyungwon more than the others. The two natural mages' grips on the ill boy were firm but gentle.

In front of them, Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Jooheon walked briskly, looking for a possible resting area to tend to their wounds and rest. An obvious look of confusion and caution was plastered upon their faces.

Changkyun closely followed the three Starship mages at their heels. Stuck between the two separate parties, he kept his distance, not wanting to intrude. Occasionally or, well, quite frequently, he would turn his head slightly to check Kihyun's condition. The blanched hue of the older's skin never left, and sometimes, Changkyun thought it was worsening. Minhyuk would catch his eye during a few of his glances and in response, a tight but thankful smile would come his way. It wasn't awkward, but Changkyun still couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Hyunwoo stopped in his tracks, the rest following in suit. Changkyun walked into Jooheon, jumping back at the contact. When he went to apologize, the other simply laughed it off, giving the younger's head a pat.

"Will this hotel do?" The oldest asked, question directed at Kihyun. The natural mage looked up, inspecting the place.

It was run down, but functional. A second grade hotel. A second choice. Compared to a popular or high class hotel, the place was less likely to be searched by the enemy. But, then again, Kihyun carefully reconsidered his thoughts. Nothing was for certain at that point.

"We have some time," said Minhyuk. "They won't come after us for a while."

"We won't need long," Kihyun acknowledged. Unconsciously, his gaze fell to the cold sweat breaking out on Hyungwon's forehead. The boy was strong, Kihyun observed. Throughout the walk, he hadn't taken much assistance at all. Their hold was just there, a reassurance.

Hoseok nodded. "How many rooms? Will thr—"

"Just get the cheapest big one," Kihyun instructed. At Hoseok's frown, he explained further. "We need to save up for whatever moves we're going to make next. I doubt a pay is coming anytime soon."

Changkyun scrunched his nose at that, meeting Jooheon's eye. The two giggled softly.

"Alright then," Hyunwoo spoke, walking towards the entry. "Let's go then."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

The wounds didn't take much to treat. A few scrapes and bruises were the extent of the injuries.

The emotional wounds were a different story. Their silence hadn't left them, even after having spent some time just sitting around in the room. A vaguely mutual thought about their enemy was pulsing through all of them.

Hoseok was the first to speak. "It was anti-magic."

At first, no one had paid attention, too caught up in their own thoughts to react. Eventually, Changkyun and Jooheon were the first to perk up, each sharing a look before turning to the older.

"What are you talking about, hyung?" Jooheon asked. Changkyun blinked in accordance to the question.

"The magic of the mage we just fought," Hoseok expanded, right hand mindlessly making light motions in the air. This movement was what captured Kihyun's attention, as he was brought down to reality once again.

"Anti-magic?" He repeated as a confirmation, trying to catch up with the conversation.

Hoseok sighed. "Yea. It basically—"

"Petrifies the wizard to the core?" Kihyun let out, unaware of what thoughts he was thinking or saying. Right then, to him, the two weren't indistinguishable.

"Uh... yea." Hoseok's brows furrowed. "Essentially, its goal is to separate the mage from their magic."

"There's magic that does that?"

Nodding at Changkyun's inquiry, Hoseok continued. "Yes and no. Anti magic can do it, but it can't do it at the same time. It's all in theory. It needs to be able to access the root of the magic in the Wizard's core..."

"...And in it's natural state," Kihyun finished. Minhyuk glanced at the boy, a similar thought running through his head.

"Exactly," Hoseok confirmed. "But a lot of times, it doesn't. Because it can't. Anti magic always leaves an essence of the original magic behind, thus allowing the mage to live. Actually, any magic extruding magic always leaves the mage living. The wizard dies of the void left behind eating them or by being murdered."

"Not to be a douche," Minhyuk suddenly started, straightening up. "But how do you know for sure it was anti magic?"

With a small chuckle, Hoseok shook his head. "It's okay, I understand. Actually, I'm a Dark Wizard. I've tasted almost every form of dark magic. My master never gave me anti magic, but it was told me it was sour, almost moldy. Kinda like the magic was rotting since it was away from its source."

Hyungwon hummed. "Makes sense."

Before another blank could fall in between them, Hyunwoo added onto to Hoseok's introduction. "His name's Hoseok. Forgive us for not properly introducing ourselves." He gave a small wave. Minhyuk gave a little giggle returning the gesture. "Hello, I'm Hyunwoo, currently the leader of the No Mercy team of the Starship guild. My magic power is Imitation Magic, and I specialize in fighting style forms."

Jooheon followed after, striking a peace sign. "Yo. I'm Jooheon, also a part of the No Mercy team. My magic is fire elemental." As a demonstration, he summoned a flame in his palm. Changkyun let out a small 'wow', wincing when the other elbowed him.

"Oh right," Changkyun said. "It's my turn, umm..." He waved both of his hands. "I'm Changkyun, a 23 year old requip mage. I'm not really a part of a guild or anything so yea..."

Seeing the expectant eyes of the others, Changkyun shrugged waggling his fingers in the air. With a snap, a red rose materialized in his hands. Changkyun quickly looked at Kihyun, feeling a little disappointed when he saw the older not paying attention. Instead, he saw Kihyun's gears horribly turning into overdrive.

"A rose?" Hoseok couldn't help but laugh. "Please tell me you have weapons like you did on the field."

Changkyun tried to disguise his concern through a smirk. "Of course. But this is what gives my magic it's uniqueness."

Hoseok, still laughing, took the flower from Changkyun's hold. Like it had when Kihyun had held it long before, a jet of ice cold water flew straight at its holder's face. Hoseok yelped, throwing the flower to the ground. Simultaneously, laughter erupted throughout the room, pushing the tension away.

It took a while for the new found airy positive energy to settle and subside. Hoseok wasn't one to fall to defeat as he immediately threatened Changkyun. Screeching, the youngest jumped around, dodging the harmless attacks.

Kihyun giggled when he looked up. Shaking his head, he dropped his head to Minhyuk's shoulder, letting go of the weight in his head.

Once Hoseok and Changkyun settled down, Minhyuk eagerly introduced the natural wizards. "I'm Minhyuk, a water natural mage. Kihyun's air and Hyungwon's earth." At their names, each mage conjured their respective elements.

Sneakily, Jooheon called forth fire to join the elements, completing the group. In turn, another fit of laughter came out.

Once again, the energy died down. Kihyun took charge of the direction of the next discussion. "What do we do now?"

"Rest," Hyunwoo suggested. "We should all rest." Kihyun seemed like he wanted to protest. The oldest beat him to it. "You said we had time, right? It's not like we're going to be staying for days anyways, there's danger in that too."

At the chorus of agreeing nods, Kihyun surprisingly gave in. He rubbed his head, finally noticing the ways his joints were stiff, his muscles tense, and his head in pain.

"We need supplies to stay over the night," He said meekly. "I-i can..."

"It'll be safer if we went," Hoseok interjected, pointing at himself, Jooheon, and Hyungwoo. The tension was returning. "The other party is probably looking for you guys, if they are looking at all."

Glancing up, Kihyun met Hoseok's gaze. The two stayed like that for a minute, transmitting silent messages among each other. "Okay," the natural mage said. "Just get quick fixes. We'll need them on the road too."

Hoseok smiled, a twinge of excitement in his eyes. "Ramen it is then."

At this comment, Changkyun perked up, looking at Kihyun curiously. There was a similar brightness in his face.

Turning to Hoseok, Kihyun mouthed 'I will murder you', as if it would have any effect on the other. Kihyun knew very well it wouldn't, as even Jooheon and Minhyuk were beginning to seem expectant.

With Hoseok's ushering, the three left quickly. Before the door closed, the Dark mage gave one last shout. "Ramen!"

Kihyun sighed, glaring at Changkyun's smile. "I will murder you too."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

"Ya, Changkyun-ah," Minhyuk called out softly, attracting the youngest's attention. Eyes cracking open, Changkyun sleepily looked up at his caller.

"Hyung?" He groggily answered, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Minhyuk smiled apologetically. "Sorry to wake you, but Kihyun's outside 'getting some air'." At the confused look, he explained. "AKA he's overthinking and probably digging a mental grave for himself. I'd go talk to him myself, but..." He peered down to Hyungwon's arms wrapped around his waist. "...he hasn't slept much since the attack and i—"

Changkyun chuckled at the rambling. "No need to explain it. I understand." Yawning, he turned his head towards the window.

The sky was an orange hue, mixed with a darker shade of pink. It was still relatively early in the evening, only about an hour since the Starship crew left for supplies. The door leading into the sliver of a balcony was slightly cracked, indicating someone on the other side. Upon questioning, Minhyuk confirmed that that was where Kihyun was. Closing his eyes one last time for a split second, Changkyun jumped up, hands out to find his balance. Mindlessly, he scratched his sides as he thumped towards the outdoors.

The air was different than the muggy, heavy tension cloud in their room (it had returned after the Starship crew's departures despite all the laughter that had been let out).

The outdoors was crisp, cool, and comforting. The chill was barely present, and like a warm blanket, it brought forth a protected feeling.

Kihyun was leaning over the surprisingly tall railings. His elbows were resting against the freezing metal, body angled over them. His ears were tinged pink and his breath colored as a cloud. Changkyun took a moment to read the older's expression, seeing lines of worry creasing his features. With Kihyun's face away from him, Changkyun was unable to process anything else.

"Hyung?" He said quietly. Kihyun shifted slightly in acknowledgement.

"Why aren't you asleep?"

Changkyun walked up to the railing, imitating Kihyun's stance. He kept a small distance between them. "I was going to ask you that." He forced out a laugh.

Kihyun took in a deep breath, letting it out gradually in an attempt to calm himself down. "'Kyun, please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm only saying this because I care about you." With great difficultly, Kihyun quickly pushed out his words. "If you want, you can leave."

Changkyun blinked, his half asleep mind still somewhat processing his whereabouts. It took a few moments, but without much thought, he replied. "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why would I want to leave?"

Kihyun scoffed in disbelief. "Why wouldn't you want to leave? The mission isn't even for money anymore. You staying with me will put you in immense danger. I've already brought harm to Minhyuk and Hyungwon. They were fine without me there. And then the boys, Jooheon and hyungs, have been pulled into this because of my reckless behavior. And not to me—"

"But hyung," Changkyun interrupted, voice strong compared to Kihyun's shaky rambling. "None of that's your fault."

"I find that hard to believe," was the quick reply.

Changkyun leaned farther to attract Kihyun's gaze. Instinctively, the other's eyes flicked towards the movement, fixing themselves in the younger's eyes.

"Hyungwon hyung and Minhyuk hyung were lost and in more danger when you weren't there. They were practically on the run. Jooheon hyung, Hyunwoo hyung, and Hoseok hyung came because they care about you. In fact, rather than putting themselves in more danger, their arrival has probably given us more of a chance to stand up to this idiot."

Kihyun blinked. "And you?" It was barely a whisper.

Changkyun's eyebrows shifted upwards slightly. "Me?" Kihyun gave a soft nod.

Laughing softly, Changkyun smiled. "I'd have to be crazy to leave you. Especially now."

Kihyun just stared at him. Changkyun stared back. The wind rustled, brushing their hair along with its gentle gusts. Time passed before Kihyun sighed heavily.

"I don't get it," he whispered with a shake of his head, baffled. "Why would you stay?"

Changkyun sighed as well, not out of frustration or shock but out of care. He let a few seconds pass. "Hyung, do you believe in fate?"

Silence.

"Do you?"

Taking a moment to form his words, Changkyun spoke. "It's complicated. You?"

"It's complicated," the older admitted.

Changkyun hummed. "I mean... I think it brought us together, at least. Like this partnership."

Kihyun's brows furrowed, considering the statement. He understood the implication behind the younger's words. Anyone could've picked up the years old, practically expired mission. But no one did. They were the only fools who did.

"How can you be sure?" Despite his conceding thoughts, Kihyun was doubtful.

The other shrugged. "I'm not. But I hope. I've never been with anyone in my life, so I'm rendered to two things: hope..."

He looked at Kihyun. "...and fate."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

Changkyun blinked. “What’s this?”

“This is thirst,” Kihyun answered, eye twitching the slightest.

The youngest, having noticed the twitches, gulped nervously. “Are they dehydrated? Are they having delusions because of it?” He paused, wide eyes catching a glimpse of the jar of water resting next to Hyungwon’s resting place. “I-I’ll get them some water.”

Kihyun’s eye stopped twitching as his eyebrows raised. “No you— Are you serious?” When Changkyun gave him another confused look, he sighed, putting his head in his hands. “Right. You basically have had no proper human interaction in your life.” Taking one more look at the requip mage, he smiled softly. “God, you’re such a child. I can’t even be mad at you.”

Just as Changkyun was about to question why Kihyun was going to be mad at him, a large body passed by him quickly, catching the duo’s attention. Kihyun’s mouth fell open.

“Hyunwoo hyung! Don’t tell me you too!” He exclaimed, watching the oldest allow himself to be smothered by a clingy Minhyuk. Sheepishly, Hyunwoo smiled.

A rather cheerful Jooheon approached them with a pep in his walk. “His name is now Shownu,” he reprimanded. Looking at Changkyun, he threw a wink. “And I’m Joo-Honey.”

Changkyun leaned towards Kihyun. “That’s a wink, right? What do I do?” he whispered, displaying his discomfort. When Jooheon repeated his actions, Kihyun slapped the other on the arm.

“Oh my god, stop scaring him.” With a ridiculous pout, Jooheon stomped away to where Minhyuk and Hyungwon were seated.

Kihyun sighed again, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “Yah, Changkyun, don’t get the wrong ideas. Neither of them are even like this. They’re just…” He searched for the proper explanation. “…idiots.”

“Idiots who know how to have fun,” Hoseok commented, waltzing over. “You should join in on this too, _Hyunnie_.”

Kihyun threw him the stink eye. “Be grateful I only used the singular term ‘idiot’.”

Ignoring the steaming mage, Hoseok turned to Changkyun. “There’s no harm in having fun, right I.M.?”

Changkyun smiled awkwardly, dragging out a meek ‘yea’.

Kihyun was quick to protest. “No. Wait. Hoseok, what the hell. This is literal desperation.”

Eyes shooting open, the older snapped to Kihyun. “It’s not desperation!” He said, exasperated.

Crossing his arms, Kihyun cocked an eyebrow. “Then what is it?”

“Needs.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“And you’re jealous.”

Scoffing, Kihyun gave Hoseok look. “Not even in your dreams.”

Hoseok smirked, stepping closer—a little bit too close for the brunet’s comfort. “Don’t be jealous, my friend.” He gestured to himself. “There’s enough of this for everyone.” He then shot a cheesy point in Kihyun’s direction. “Especially you.”

“Changkyun, get me out of here.”

Having simply observed the strange interactions among the boys in the room, it took Changkyun a moment to recognized that he was being addressed. Quickly straightening himself, he took note of Kihyun’s annoyed state, seeing the way the mage was and was not ticked off at the same time. “Okay hyung,” he answered. “Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere with _you_.”

Changkyun scanned the room once more. Hyungwon and Minhyuk were with Jooheon and Hyunwoo, all four of them giggling helplessly. An empty spot was present in between Minhyuk and Hyungwon, evidently where Hoseok had been sitting. Still not fully comprehending the concept of ‘thirst’ and how it was applying in this situation, Changkyun looked outside the window. The stars were quite bright, was his first observation.

“Want to go see the stars?” He offered, seeing Kihyun rolling his eyes at something Hoseok had just said, smiling nevertheless. The older had stepped back, creating a friendly distance between him and Kihyun. Changkyun felt a wave of relief wash over him, not sure whether it was caused by Kihyun’s smile or Hoseok stepping back or both.

Kihyun nodded, his smile widening. Draping his arm across Changkyun’s shoulders, he followed the youngest out the door, waving off Hoseok’s nagging to be careful.

To Changkyun’s happiness, the older was much relieved. Changkyun looked back at the room with a thankful grin.

“Thirst, you say?” Changkyun started. Kihyun cut him off immediately.

“Don’t you dare start.” And there was a laugh.

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

Just an hour or two before, it was still bright. Now, as Changkyun looked onto the horizon, not a speck of the pink was visible. An indigo barely reflected past the darkness in the sky. Small stars twinkled in clusters, creating a blue halo around them. The moon loomed overhead behind the duo, a yellowish tint on its features. It was quite large, perfect for nice waves, and if Changkyun had been alone, he would’ve left to find a shore to bask in the cool air as the waves washed over his legs.

Yet, where he was was perfect as well. Legs dangling from a tree branch, side leaning against the ridges of a tree’s bark. His other side had a tired Kihyun pressed up against him, the older’s head resting in the crevice of his neck. In their hands were unwrapped, half-eaten kimbaps. Changkyun could feel Kihyun’s slow chews, Kihyun’s soft breaths, and Kihyun’s hair’s gentle rustles. Just like the waves of the ocean, the slight movements were comforting enough for Changkyun melt into them.

The two remained that way for a while, silently munching on their dinner. While Kihyun took his time to observe the bright constellations, Changkyun used his to think.

He understood. He understood the weight of the events on Kihyun, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon. He somewhat understood the concern from the Starship crew’s end, at least as much as his expectations of friendship allowed him to. He understood Kihyun’s defenses. He understood Kihyun’s offer for him to leave. He understood why Kihyun hadn’t told him about the Clan and Interstellar.

Maybe he was overthinking, but Changkyun felt like he understood. The youngest considered his own state, realizing that his understanding was probably the reason he was at such ease.

With a breath, Changkyun allowed himself to relax, releasing the tension in his body and letting his eyes fall shut.

Kihyun’s eyes flitted from the twinkles to Changkyun, noticing the other’s tranquil state. Looking down, he smiled at the empty wrapper in the loose hold. Kihyun took it out of the youngest’s hand carefully, not wanting to disturb him.

Changkyun cracked his eyes open to meet Kihyun’s. When the older smiled, Changkyun mindlessly mirrored the gesture. He watched as Kihyun put their wrappers in the small bag he had brought with him. After doing so, he hooked himself back on Changkyun.

“You know, I’ve never slept in a tree before.”

Changkyun hummed, snorting. “It’s a preference of mine, ha. It’s calmer.”

Kihyun nodded in agreement. Once again, the two fell into momentous silence.

Changkyun eventually opened his mouth to ask something, only to close it. He gave consideration into his question. “Hyung, what have you never done?”

Kihyun cocked an eyebrow in amusement. “Huh?”

“I’ve done so many things with you that I’ve never done before,” The younger explained. Sheepishly, he continued. “I wanted to do that for you too.”

A raging flush suddenly flashed up Kihyun’s neck. He hardly expected Changkyun’s sincere answer as he was waiting for some light teasing. The intense heat lasted briefly, dissipating once Kihyun realized that this was Changkyun, not Hoseok or Minhyuk, and that this was very reason he was able to lean on the younger the way he was doing so.

Yet, even beyond the realization, a reddish blush tinted the tips of his ears, something Kihyun had left to the strongly nonexistent cold.

He didn’t think much before blurting out his answer. “A date. I’ve never been on a date before.” Correction: He didn’t think at all.

Eyes widening, Kihyun’s small motions froze. His heart gradually thumped loudly against his chest in the milliseconds between his answer and Changkyun’s response.

The youngest simply grinned, chuckling a bit at Kihyun’s embarrassed and anxious state. “How about this? I’ll take you out on a date after the mission.”

Kihyun barely comprehended the offer. With a flustered ‘ok’, he fell against Changkyun again, mind reeling at his and Changkyun’s actions.

“And hyung?”

“Yea?”

“I’ve never been on a date before either. That doesn’t count,” Changkyun teased with a subtle wag of his finger and a click of his tongue at the end of the statement.

Kihyun let out a genuine laugh at the other’s antics. Grabbing the finger, Kihyun brought it down, his eye smile blinding the both of them. “I’ll think about it and get to you when I think of something.” He entwined their pinkies and brought their thumbs together. “Promise.”

Dimples appeared in Changkyun’s cheeks as he returned the gesture. When Kihyun didn’t show any signs of letting go, he rearranged their hold so that their fingers were laced together. And with that, they returned to leaning on each other. Along came a wave of exhaustion as they proceeded with staring at the stars.

The trees rustled. The wind whistled. Their eyelids drooped. Eventually, Kihyun yawned. Changkyun followed. Nuzzling his head a bit into Changkyun’s shoulder, Kihyun bid the younger a ‘goodnight’. Changkyun returned the greeting.

And he slept.

Just as if the waves were crashing against his feet and legs.

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

It was a slight tremor that woke Changkyun up. When he opened his eyes, the sun welcomed him to the daylight with its blinding rays. Wincing, the boy brought his hand on the side of the tree’s trunk to shade his eyes. He blinked to reorient himself. Then he turned to see the source of the shaking.

Kihyun was still asleep, with a troubled expression on his face. His trembling was slight, almost unnoticeable, but the vice-like grip on Changkyun’s clothes told a different story.

Lightly, Changkyun called out the older’s name. After a few times, Kihyun’s eyes shot open wide, the bright rays causing a reaction similar to Changkyun’s.

“Good m-morning,” he stammered out. Changkyun frowned.

“Good morning. Did you sleep okay?”

Kihyun waited for a split second. “Somewhat. I’m just worried about Hyungwon. The anti-magic hasn’t let go of him yet. He’s… well…”

“Yea,” Changkyun muttered, finishing Kihyun’s sentence in his head. _He’s dying_.

A crack behind them was followed by shout. “Kihyun-ah! Yo! I.M.! Come inside already! We’re done!”

Kihyun grimaced, not wanting to imagine what ‘done’ meant. “Changkyun, you go on first,” he said. “I need to get my land legs again, and Hoseok won’t stop calling unless one of us goes in.”

Nodding, the younger heeded the instructions. Before entering through the balcony, he casted a glance at Kihyun. When the older waved for him to go inside, Changkyun opened the sliding doors and stepped in.

Just as Changkyun was out of sight, Kihyun let out the breath he was holding, desperately gripping at the branch underneath him. He tried to calm himself down, but his gasps for air and pounding heart weren’t helping at all. Images of his dream flashed in his head, throwing Kihyun down another spiral of despair. The visions were similar to the ones he saw during his fight with the Interstellar man, reminding him of everything in the present and past, throwing anxiety into the mix.

Eventually, the trauma subsided. Worn out and tired, Kihyun shakily fell to the ground and put on his confident mask.

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

Planning out their next step was simple: find the amulet.

Figuring out how they were going to do it was difficult.

The boys wracked their minds to their best abilities. In turn, the natural mages practically went insane.

"How the hell is there nothing we can use to even think of where it could be?" Hyungwon groaned in frustration. So far, every one of their propositions had come out to be too obvious, places where Interstellar would've found it already.

"That's because it's well hidden," Minhyuk replied grimly, running his hands through his hair. Kihyun nodded and they returned to deep pondering.

"Who hid it?"

Hyungwon turned to answer Changkyun. "The chief hid it. The smart bast—" He stopped himself and shook his head. "I'm sorry. The wise old man was smart enough to stump even his own people."

A few giggles were stifled at Hyungwon's close slip up. Changkyun let his lips twitch slightly before returning to his thought process. "Did... he have any ancestors?"

"He had a daughter," answered Minhyuk. He looked at Kihyun warily.

"My mother." Kihyun smiled at Minhyuk's concern, brushing it off quickly.

In a flash, Changkyun's eyebrows shot up and fell back into place. Nodding, the boy brought his hands to hold his chin, eyes darting across the patch of carpet in front of him.

Kihyun leaned over. "What are you thinking?"

"Not really thinking yet, just wondering," Changkyun mumbled into his hands. "Did your clan have a leadership that ran through family or by election?"

At this, Hoseok perked up, grinning as he caught onto the youngest's thoughts. As for Jooheon and Hyunwoo, it only took them seconds to follow through as well.

Kihyun frowned, turning to Minhyuk and Hyungwon. The two shrugged at him, equally confused.

"Well," Hyungwon started. "We never really learned that?" Now it was the others' turn to be confused.

"What do you mean?" Jooheon inquired.

"The town was attacked when we were a year away from learning of our town and the outside world? Our curriculum was very sectioned and not spread out at all and like overall weird." At the end of his explanation, Minhyuk made a 'oops' face.

Shrugging, Changkyun looked at the natural mages. "Oh, well I mean... I don't know, I thought I was getting somewhere."

"You were," Hoseok confirmed, sending the younger a thumbs up. "Not bad, I.M."

Ignoring Hoseok, Jooheon spoke to Changkyun and the natural mages. "If the chief were to trust anyone, do you remember who?"

"The whole town was trustworthy," Minhyuk replied, frowning. "I don't see how that fact may help."

Hyunwoo shook his head. "It kind of does help. If there were many people to trust, wouldn't family be the first line of trust then?"

Letting it sink in, all of the 6 boys turned to Kihyun. The latter smiled awkwardly. "I have no idea if that's the case," he tried to say. "I barely remember him being in the house at all. He was out most of the times?"

Hoseok sighed. "We can't do anything about that. If family was his first line of defense, where do you think your mom or dad would have hidden it?"

Kihyun bit his lip. He tried to pin point anything his parents could have said in relation to the amulet. Only his mother's advice on hiding, in relation to hide and sneak, came to mind. "Somewhere unnoticeable and easy to monitor?"

"That could be anywhere," Changkyun pointed out.

Hyungwon tapped Minhyuk's shoulder, sharing a look with the other. They nodded before turning back to the conversation.

"We're going to get nowhere with all this," he stated, bringing his hand to Kihyun's shoulder. "There's really only one way to figure it out."

Kihyun ran an anxious hand through his brown locks. "I was thinking the same thing," he responded bitterly. He acknowledge the others. "I guess you guys were dodging the option too."

"What are you talking about, Hyun?" Hoseok asked, perplexed.

Straightening out, Kihyun took in a deep breath. "I'm talking about taking you guys to the Lost Clan."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

Changkyun wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting. When Kihyun had described the place to him the first time, he had imagined a small area filled with cozy huts and market places. When Kihyun went ahead and talked about the village more at the hotel, the image drastically changed in size. From a tiny town to a large city-sized city, Changkyun saw organized roads connecting to one another.

He hadn't seen the debris he was met with.

Wood, shillings, and glass were scattered everywhere. Only the foundations of the buildings remained standing. It was as if a storm had raged across and ripped up mostly only the top portions. However, even the ground was upturned in places, the dry dirt rolled upon itself with yellowish, unhealthy grasses growing from it. With all the chaos scattered, Changkyun noted that the town was neither as small or big as he had imagined, settling for a size that was more in between. But then again, without the entire town in front of him, he was none to judge.

Kihyun just stared at the mess. Minhyuk slung an arm around the mage, his other around Hyungwon. The three looked over the town grimly.

"Was it this bad?" asked Kihyun, already knowing the answer. "What happened?"

"They still can't find it," Hyungwon mumbled with a sigh.

Comfortingly, Minhyuk squeezed their shoulders. "C'mon," he said. "Let's go."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

They split up. Kihyun, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon each leading a search in a certain section of town. Minhyuk took Jooheon with him, heading for the wedge where his house and the schools were. Hyungwon was accompanied with Hoseok and Hyunwoo as they headed for the next section, where all the marketplaces lied, including Hyungwon's family's joint. Lastly, Kihyun was joined by Changkyun, heading for the final third of the village, where Kihyun's house and the 'government' buildings lied.

It didn't take long for Kihyun to find his house. Navigating through the debris was a hassle, but Kihyun found that if he didn't pay attention to what was on the ground, the weight on his chest was light. Eventually, he was able to note the cues in the remains of the large buildings around, including the City Hall and the Head Office.

Somewhere along the way, a quick jump instilled itself in his step, causing Kihyun to jog by the time he was face to face with his house. Somewhere along the way, Kihyun's mind rewinded, his vision falling lower as he felt himself reenter his younger self's body. Somewhere along the way, Kihyun was running through the streets as if the buildings were still there, the people still there, and his parents still there.

Mindlessly, he hopped through the space that should've been his door. Mindlessly, he called out for his mom and dad, waiting for their answer. Mindlessly, he turned for the medicinal study where his mother always sat to study new and old concoctions.

Changkyun watched with worry filled eyes. Not wanting to disturb Kihyun's daze, he kept his distance. But, somehow, he felt the need to break the other out of his memory—at least before someone got hurt.

As he stepped through the imaginary doors of the study, Kihyun's chest immediately tightened. The lights seemed to dim, despite the sun shining brightly overhead. A sense of doom overtook him and Kihyun began to shake just like he did that morning before. Feeling himself revert to his state from the morning, the mage tried to search for something to latch on, something to keep him anchored.

His eyes fell on a skeleton on the floor, right next to the desk. The faint purple color of the tattered dress struck Kihyun harshly, the nearby blood stains on the wooden planks piercing through his heart.

"Mom?" He whispered brokenly, falling to his knees. Changkyun's eyes widened, immediately rushing to the older. When he saw the scene, he gasped, large eyes not leaving the skeleton.

"Mom?" Kihyun barely whispered again, his words caught in his throat. Soft pitter patter followed the call, and Changkyun didn't need to turn to see the tears streaming down Kihyun's cheeks. Hesitantly, he brought his arm to rub the other's back. Kihyun didn't cry, but he leaned into Changkyun's hold.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, shaky hands reaching out but pulling themselves back. He tried to speak, but his words remained in his head. _I'm sorry. I should've come earlier._ He hiccuped, his tears growing into sniffles.

Changkyun remained by his side, never once showing any signs of leaving. It was gently reassuring, a feeling by which Kihyun found sense in his haywire mind.

"Changkyun-ah," he let out weakly. "I'm a horrible son. I... I should've come to give them a proper goodbye. I should've been here to treat them right. I sh—" He stopped himself from rambling, shaking his head to reorient himself again. "I couldn't. I was too scared. I was too scared to come back to take care of my parents."

Changkyun continued to rub Kihyun's back. Shaking his head, he softly spoke. "You were just a kid then."

Kihyun kept his gaze on his mom. "But I'm still scared.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Changkyun stated. "It's what makes us stronger."

Kihyun didn't reply. He didn't react, the only movements coming from the boy being the faint rise and fall of his chest lined with his breaths.

"I want to give them a memorial. A proper ceremony."

Changkyun nodded. "We'll hold a memorial."

"For all of them."

Looking out to the city, Changkyun nodded again. "All of them. We'll hold a memorial for all of them."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

It wasn't easy. Having to gather the remains of the townsfolk for a proper burial wasn't easy. Having to settle with just items from their households because some were unrecognizable or just completely missing in general wasn't easy.

But no one protested. No one had anything to say. Sometimes they'd come across children, and the loudest sounds were sniffles and tears. Silently, they worked, saddened. But somewhere in their hearts, a fire for being strong for those fallen was flaming.

Kihyun thought it was about time that they properly paid their respects. It was the least they could do.

They gathered at the large expanse of what was fresh, healthy grassy area behind City Hall. Kihyun never really understood why the stretch was placed in the dead center of their town, and he never would.

It took them some time, given their powers the task was sped up, but even then it was quite large. They worked until sundown, when the colors of night and day were swirling amongst each other in the day.

Makeshift candles from stalks of dried up flowers were placed all around, bringing forth a pending sweet aroma. Relatively fresh fruits and vegetables found from overgrown crops in the farm area were neatly arranged in front of each memorial made.

The memorial constituted of Kihyun, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon walking around and lighting each candle one by one. The other four were seated in the distance, lighted candles in their hands as they sincerely wished the townsfolk the best passing.

Without any rush, the natural wizards made their way, whispering small stories of the buried that they could remember.

"Mr. Seo was a such a funny teacher," Minhyuk said at one grave.

Hyungwon snorted. "He cursed so much."

"Mr. Lee always told him to stop even though he loved it the most," Kihyun continued.

Near a cluster of their childhood friends, the three mages couldn't help but let a few tears escape.

"They were so crazy," Minhyuk muttered, chuckling at the antics he could recall. Afraid to hear their own weak, breaking voices, Hyungwon and Kihyun just nodded.

Eventually, they made their way towards their parents', heavy hearts weighing down their steps and slowing them down.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Minhyuk let out, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"It was never really real until today," Hyungwon agreed, resting a hand on Minhyuk's back.

Kihyun just remained silent, not wanting to cry as he had long before in Hoseok's arms when they were children. He fell a step behind the two, allowing them their moment and watching them as they kneeled in front of their parents.

Yet, despite himself, in a moment he found himself in the same position. Lighting the flower, Kihyun leaned back to observe the scent dancing up to the sky in wisps.

He had too much to say that he was unable to remember all that he wanted to convey to his parents. From his small and big accomplishments to his magic to his friends to his journeys, he couldn't choose where to start. He felt bad, once again finding himself incompetent in front of his parents.

Hearing the restricted sobs next to him, Kihyun shut his eyes tightly. Conflicted beyond comprehension, he tried to make sense of his feelings.

His mother. His mother would've known. His father too, but he would've been in the same boat as Kihyun.

"Mom," Kihyun muttered under his breath. The wisps broke off in the air, encircling the memorial, following the same pattern as Kihyun's weeping heart. "I don't know what to do."

His mother would've said that it was okay. That it was okay to be lost sometimes, because humans weren't born with maps, humans weren't born with magic that could fix everything. His father would've said that humans were born to mess up and clean the messes.

They would've understood.

Kihyun wasn't sure when he had begun to cry, but he was silently sobbing into his hands.

They would've understood.

"I know one thing, though..." He whispered through his cries. "I love you. And I love Dad too."

The wisps began to vibrate into nothingness. "I really hope you're happy... I hope you're happy when you look over me from up above."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

When the ceremony was about to finish, Hoseok had felt a strange presence among them. Stealing glances of their surroundings, the suspicion grew in his gut. Quietly, he relayed it to the others, and waited for the trio to rejoin them. Eventually, they did, immediately understanding Hoseok's concern with only a few words. Taking Jooheon with him, the Dark mage took his leave, promising to be back soon.

While they were gone, the natural wizards led Changkyun and Hyunwoo around to gather the supplies they had set aside during their visit. The items were comprised of books, notes, and small, most probably expired tonics.

When they moved to their established camp, not too far from the memorial, just simply in the first set of trees right next to the field, the five boy sat down to eat and read the information.

Changkyun and Hyunwoo munched mindlessly as they tried to make sense of the notes. Most of the material was about natural wizard techniques in relation to magic, medicine, cooking, politics, etc. When Changkyun took a look at Hyunwoo, he smiled in embarrassment at his incomprehension. The oldest proved himself to be in the same shoes as he shrugged obnoxiously, earning a tiny giggle from the youngest.

Even the natural mages were in a tough position. None of the books were revealing anything in relation to the amulet, and none of them were showing any signs of doing so. Frustration seemed to be a common emotion among them.

As it had already been quite late when the memorial had finished, given an hour or two into their information search, tiredness began to creep into the boys' bodies. Eventually, unable to ignore the exhaustion anymore, they broke off into their respective rest areas, as two tents had been roughly set up.

Changkyun found it hard to fall asleep, even though the fatigue was slowly becoming painful. The same was for Kihyun as well, as the natural mage proceeded to read. Remembering something about the older, Changkyun stood up and strolled away, a question in his mind. Kihyun didn't inquire about the sudden leave, and kept his attention on his books.

Sometime after, Hoseok and Jooheon returned from their round. Just as they were about to walk into their camp, they were stopped by a worried looking Changkyun. The youngest was biting his nails and leaning against a tree when they arrived. At first, his figure had been quite hazy to Jooheon's and Hoseok's vision.

"Changkyun?" Jooheon asked into the distance. The said boy moved slightly, body language showing his attention to the name.

"Hyung?" Rustling through the tall grasses and past the trees, the mage made his way towards the sound. "Is Hoseok hyung with you?"

"I'm here, too," Hoseok said, meeting halfway with Changkyun's steps. The older frowned, seeing the deep bags under the other's eyes and the way his skin seemed paler. "Why are you awake? You need rest."

Changkyun shook his head. "No no, I'm fine." He looked up to look at Hoseok directly. "I had something to ask you."

Taken a aback, Hoseok's eyebrows rose subtly. Masking it in professionalism, he promptly responded. "Sure. Ask away."

From behind him, Jooheon looked to the side, awkwardly scratching his neck. Pointing to the camp, he began to tiptoe towards it. "I... guess I'm going to go..."

"Hyung you can stay. It's just a general question," Changkyun addressed, flashing a quick smile. Returning back to his prior state, he bit his lip in thought. "Um... Hyung? Can anti-magic cause aftereffects like nightmares?"

Now even more taken aback, Hoseok's eyebrows shot up. "Why the sudden question?"

Changkyun opened his mouth to reply and then closed it. Opening it again, he rushed out. "I'll tell you based on the answer. Does it?"

Frowning, Hoseok tried to remember his lessons with his master. "Not really," he began, recalling the key elements he was taught about. "Because the magic takes, it typically doesn't leave anything behind. And if anything were to be left behind, then it would take more. Does that make sense?"

Changkyun's chest rose and fell heavily as he nodded.

"Is it Hyungwon?" Jooheon questioned, standing on his toes to get a better look of the camp.

Changkyun closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's Kihyun hyung," he said softly, bringing a hand to thread through his hair.

At this, both Hoseok, along with Jooheon, became more alert. "Kihyun?"

Nodding, the youngest averted his gaze to the side. "H-he's been having nightmares? I've noticed them since the fight with Interstellar. This morning, he woke up shaking. And then when we were in town today, he practically dreamt of being a kid again in daylight. And I also..." He trailed off.

"You also...?" Jooheon repeated, urging the younger to continue.

Changkyun sighed. "I also think that it started before the fight. Like when we first went to Interstellar to get information."

Sharing a look, Hoseok and Jooheon began to walk forward. The fire mage brought an arm around Changkyun, bringing him along.

They walked into camp as if nothing happened, nothing were discussed. A sleepy Hyunwoo greeted them from the camp area where Minhyuk was sleeping next to Hyungwon. The three of them waved at the oldest, Hoseok giving extra hand signals telling the leader to get some sleep. Hyunwoo smiled with gratitude in their direction before turning towards Minhyuk.

The trio continued towards the second area where Changkyun had just been with Kihyun, reading over the books and information. They found the latter asleep over the scattered open books and loose pages. Jooheon jumped forward to move the natural mage into a more comfortable position. While doing so, his frown deepened as he noticed the small beads of sweat and the ghost of a similar expression on the other's face.

The other two saw the same details. Hoseok looked down to see Kihyun's fists clenched until they were white.

"Another nightmare?" Changkyun wondered out loud, kneeling to help Jooheon. As it had only been so long since he had left, Changkyun was relatively even more concerned. To his question, Jooheon nodded.

"Seems like it."

Still standing, Hoseok felt a strong wave of deja vu overcome him.

"He was like this when I first found him..." He said, brushing the papers aside. "At that time he had nightmares of the town and the attack."

Changkyun looked at Kihyun, deep in thought. "Do you think the nightmares are repeating?"

Hoseok didn't hesitate to answer. "Most probably. The Kihyun I know spends time to try to escape the labels of his past. But this mission is just throwing his past at him. I'd be surprised if he didn't feel its effects."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

_Kihyun could feel a pain creep up into his sides. His breath was short and shallow, and as he desperately gasped for air, he continued to run._

_Unknowingly, he barreled into town, heading straight for his house. But his steps fell short, a scream following his halt._

_There were bodies everywhere on the streets. The doors were torn into shards, and when looking inside, there was nothing but blood and death in each household._

_The fear inside him intensified, and Kihyun restarted his dash for his household. Compared to his other nightmares, Kihyun mentally was aware of what was to come next, his body simply going through the motions of his memories._

_Given that, the dreaming lad had no control over what he saw and how he react. He had no control over his run into his house, already burned down and crushed to the ground. He had no control over his body when he saw his mother frantically pack away books and pages in a chest. He had no control to balance himself when his mother pushed him out of the way to block the attackers._

_“Run Kihyun!” She shrieked. “Run!”_

_He had no control when he scrambled to his feet to help his mother against the perpetrators._

_He had no control when his mother took his face in her hands and pressed a wet kiss against his forehead._

_He had no control when he saw the invader bring down a large club against his mother’s head._

_Right before the impact came, everything froze with a wave of icy air. Shivering, Kihyun finally took command of his small figure and stepped back._

_Everything was still—his mother’s frightened and tearful face, the club that was centimeters away from murdering her, and the man holding it._

_Kihyun breathed in and out heavily, a new revelation coming to him. This was it. His chance. His chance to save his mom and set it all right._

_With those thoughts, he beelined for the door to find others to help, but a shield projected him back into the house. Runes loaded and then faded away in the area of contact._

_‘Or not,’ Kihyun thought, rubbing the sore spot in his head. Wobbling on his feet, he scanned his house, hoping to find clues for the sudden freeze._

_From the back door, his father was dashing in, mid shout. In the kitchen, there was water over boiling. In the study, a few papers were tossed everywhere, blocking the fresh spot where his mother had buried the books and notes._

_Something had to be out of place. Something that shouldn’t have been the way it wa—_

_Kihyun’s gaze fell on a fallen picture. He frowned. Reaching with his tiny hands, the kid gripped the frame._

_It was an image of his family: him and his parents. Strangely enough, having withstood a fall, the picture was in pristine condition. Even all the other frames on the walls had shattered when they fell._

_Turning the frame around, Kihyun reached to open the back. Just as his fingers touched the metal clamp, the icy air warmed up to normal. His father’s voice struck through his ears. His mother screamed for him._

_“Kihyun run!”_

_And there was a sickening thud._

The terrified mage woke up with a scream for his mother. In seconds, he was crowded by others, worried faces entering his view. Kihyun curled in on himself and tried to focus on calming his frightened heart.

"Kihyunnie?" Hoseok said slowly. Kihyun could see the man itching to reach forward to comfort him. But he held himself back cautiously. Jooehon and Changkyun fared the same.

Against the pain in his throat, Kihyun croaked out a response. "I t-think I have a clue."

It was still deeply dark outside.

"Hyung," Sleep was evident in Changkyun's voice. The youngest tried to form words to say, having to much he wanted to ask. "Are you okay? What clue?"

Brushing off the concern, Kihyun nodded. "Yea, I'm fine. But I want to check out what I saw in my dream."

"What did you see?"

"A clue. I think it's for the amulet. And it's in my house." 

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

They brought a wide awake Minhyuk along with them.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Kihyun had whispered when the other had joined them.

Minhyuk had shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Something like that."

At his house, Kihyun knew exactly where to look and what to look for. In no time, he was standing in the middle of the remains of his foyer with the picture in his hands.

"It's still intact," he admired, turning it over. Without wasting any time, he opened the hatch on the back and peered inside.

An hourglass fell out immediately. Eyebrows raised, Kihyun looked around to see the others' reactions. Their expressions mirrored Kihyun's.

"What in the..." Minhyuk muttered picking up the hourglass. "Yah! There's no sand, just a rolled up piece of paper."

"Open it," Jooheon urged, moving closer. Minhyuk hummed in agreement and tried to pry off the cap.

It wouldn't budge.

"Give it to me/Hoseok hyung" Kihyun and Hoseok said at the same time.

Wordlessly, Minhyuk followed the order, watching as Kihyun passed it to Hoseok. The older grabbed at the cap and pulled at it with all his might. His bulging muscles could be seen through his sleeves.

Even with all that might, the cap didn't budge.

Changkyun frowned, eyes squinting as he zeroed in on the cap. Noticing four differently colored holes, he tutted. "I think there's a seal on it. Look," he pointed to the cap. "There's four differently colored holes."

Turning the cap, Hoseok gave the top a better look. "There's even small engravings on this."

Kihyun and Minhyuk jumped forward, Jooheon closely following.

"These engravings..." Kihyun muttered, realization dawning on him. "They're the symbols of the elements."

"Is this an Elemental Seal?" Minhyuk exclaimed, eyes wide.

"That would make the most sense."

"What's an Elemental Seal?" Jooheon questioned, voicing the others' thoughts.

Kihyun was quick to explain. "It's a protective rune placed on a container that can only be opened by destroying the cap with all four natural elements."

"Four..." Changkyun mumbled. "We have only have three though..."

Sighing, Kihyun looked at Minhyuk. The ice mage took hold of the hourglass. "We could try with Hyungwon. It's only a little magic from each element that's needed," he began, reasoning with himself. "You and I could try to manage fire at the same time."

Everyone seemed to agree, waiting to see Kihyun's response. The air natural mage gave the suggestion some consideration. "Okay..." he trailed off, as if he were going to mention anything else.

"Okay...?" Minhyuk repeated, leading the other on to continue. They began to make their way out of the house, Hoseok, Changkyun, and Jooheon close by.

Kihyun shook his head and smiled. "We'll just have to wait for the morning. Don't wake Hyungwon up right now."

Minhyuk laughed, giving the other a light punch. "As if he'd wake up now even if we tried."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

Kihyun couldn't wait. Even though he had oh-so joyfully told Minhyuk to wait, he found himself incapable of being patient. He needed the hourglass opened ASAP.

And so, when he was _sure_ that all the boys were asleep, he dragged a tired Minhyuk with himself to a far side of their camp.

"You're crazy," Minhyuk hissed, no real heat behind his words. "How are we supposed to do this?"

Kihyun shushed the other. "Just use your water and I'll handle the rest."

Readying himself to enchant his own magic power upon the hourglass, Kihyun took in a deep breath and closed his eyes to concentrate.

Minhyuk remained still. "But Kihyun-ah," he whispered, less harshly this time. "We don't have all four elements on us. We only have half—three if we try hard enough."

Shaking his head, Kihyun took gave Minhyuk's shoulder a reassuring pat. "Don't worry about it, just use your water. I'll handle the rest."

Confused, Minhyuk gave Kihyun a look, contemplating over the other's words. After a few moments, he sighed and shifted into the same position as Kihyun.

Crystal clear water flowed from the air around Minhyuk and into his outstretched palm. From there, it shot up to the blue crevice on the cap of the hourglass.

Kihyun shut his eyes. The air began to resonate with his breathing. Whirl winding into a tight spiral, the air concentrated itself in its respective spot.

Two elements down.

The dirt began to rumble the slightest bit, at a frequency only magics dealing with nature may recognize. Specks of rock and rubble gravitated towards the hourglass. The ascent was gradual but not slow. Eventually, the third socket, the socket of earth, was secured.

Three elements down.

Minhyuk cracked an eye open, a worried gaze transfixed onto Kihyun. Two elements were already hard enough for a natural wizard to manage at once. Three was impossible, and Minhyuk was more than ready to call the whole scene off.

A sharp exhale stopped the water mage from speaking. Firefly like lights faintly glinted like a halo around Kihyun. By this point, the concentrating man was already struggling, his breathing erratic and a cold sweat lined across his forehead.

Minhyuk's other eye opened, and the boy simply watched, mouth agape, as his friend performed what was deemed practically impossible by the most skilled wizards in their village.

The minuscule balls of a light drifted towards each other and melded. Then, they shakily veered towards the final socket.

A light shone in the hourglass when the connection was made.

Four elements down.

With a soft 'pop', the cap fell off, allowing the rolled paper to expand out of the glass. Quickly, Kihyun pulled out the paper and unraveled it, ignoring the dull pain from his magic trick.

Still at shock from Kihyun's powers, Minhyuk simply continued to stare at his friend.

"Yah," Kihyun breathed out, a smile growing on his features. "T-this is it..."

"Huh?"

Shoving the sheet in the water mage's face, Kihyun laughed in relief. "Look! Look!" He whispered excitedly. "It's a blatant map!"

Blinking to focus his vision on the close 'map', Minhyuk cocked his head, reading the strange yet familiar symbols all over. They were all over an image of a bird's eye view of their town and the neighboring forests. Minhyuk had to squint to properly look around for signs of the amulet.

Sure enough, right in the corner, there was a rushed drawing, as Kihyun said it, blatantly showing the amulet in a cave.

Minhyuk could only marvel at the discovery. "Woah."

Kihyun beamed. "I think we just scored this one for ourselves."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

The cave was quite some distance away, almost a whole forest in between. Yet, even with some discrepancies in the interpretations of the map, it didn't take the seven mages much time to arrive at their destination. Key signs were evident everywhere along their path.

The grass was fresher in some areas—mostly patched around the direction of the path. The soil, as Hyungwon noted, was nicely nourished in the direction they were heading.

It was entirely strange. No one doubted that. In a place where misery and despair eventually hailed, there was still clues of life from before. But, as The Light, as the natural wizards called the amulet, was known to be a source for all natural magic, it was understandable to an extent.

The cave was very open. There was no boulder blocking with or any magic field to protect its entrance. To the boys, it almost seemed to be a walk in and take case.

"Do you think they were here before?" Changkyun said as they all stood in front of the tall clearing.

Kihyun shook his head. "They would have found it by then, right?"

No one answered.

Minhyuk casted a glance into the dark void in front of them. The tunnel of the cave seemed to go on and on. "Honestly, it wouldn't be this easy though. The amulet is a special keepsake of the Clan. I wouldn't really worry. There's bound to be some protection on the inside."

"Like a foolery spell," Hoseok mused, nodding. Hyungwon acknowledged the comment with a hum.

Changkyun's brows furrowed in confusion. 'Foolery...spell,' he mouthed out while looking away in an attempt to hide his lost expression.

It wasn't very subtle. Jooheon had already taken note of the confusion before Changkyun had moved. Chuckling softly, he explained for the youngest. "It's a broad term for a spell that masks something into something it isn't. Like a disguise, but it can be done in many ways."

Changkyun smiled thankfully at Jooheon, flushing brightly at the gentle laughter that followed.

"I hate to break the happy mood," Kihyun spoke out, the ghost of his grin still behind his straight face. "But, we can talk while walking through the cave."

While Minhyuk suddenly pounced to tease Kihyun of his serious stature, Hyunwoo and Hoseok shared a look, exchanging mutual thoughts.

"Kihyun-ah," Hyunwoo started, breaking eye contact with the Dark Mage to divert his attention to the quarreling natural mages. On call, both Kihyun and Minhyuk looked up at once. "We were thinking that it'd be better if only about two people went inside."

"Why so?" Changkyun asked genuinely. Kihyun and Minhyuk straightened themselves out.

Hoseok furthered Hyunwoo's proposition. "If a significant amount of us were to go in, we'd have no back up from this end. Natural magic isn't easy to deal with, so we'd have to be prepared as much as possible from this end if anything were to go wrong."

"Okay, that makes sense," Kihyun reasoned, eyes looking around. "Who were you thinking of sending in?"

"At least one natural mage and a companion," Hoseok promptly replied.

"I suggest Kihyun and Changkyun," Minhyuk chimed in immediately, hand raised. At the questioning glances, he let out a nervous giggle. "What? It makes the most sense. This was their mission at first, so shouldn't they finish it?"

Hoseok and Hyunwoo grinned at Minhyuk in agreement. The ice mage turned on his heels to face the duo dramatically.

Changkyun snickered at Kihyun's instant eye roll. "Gee hyung. That's so thoughtful of you."

Minhyuk sent a cheesy wink, to which Changkyun just waved off even more cheekily.

"You guys are impossible." Kihyun groaned, snatching his bags angrily. Grabbing onto Changkyun's arms, he yanked the younger towards the inside of the cave. "C'mon Changkyun. If I have to see another wink, I'll punch a rock."

"Hyung," the youngest said, already losing sight of anything as the darkness in the cave engulfed them. "That makes no sense."

"I could easily mistaken you as a rock."

 

 

**_***three love***_ **

****

****

"Hyung, I'm starting to kind of think that we're being messed with. I mean, why is it out in the open?"

Kihyun could barely even shrug as he gaped at the floating amulet.

"Huh?" He let out, sounding drunk. They had reached the end of the cave, arriving at a tall clearance. In the middle, The Light was simply suspended in midair.

The power of the amulet was immensely alluring and intoxicating. If Kihyun had half the mind he had, he wouldn't have been able to hear Changkyun's comment.

"Hold up, 'Kyun," he mumbled, stumbling forward. "Stay here." Transfixed, Kihyun allowed himself to be pulled by the amulet. Step by step, as he neared, an intense fire within him grew flame by flame.

Changkyun stood back, seeing the dazed eyes glued to the amulet. He, too, was able to feel the large presence in the room. While it wasn't affecting him, there was an aura to the necklace that seemed to radiate around the clearing. Watching Kihyun walk up to the amulet, Changkyun felt his body and mind separate, a haze in which a darkish lavender clouded his vision. As Kihyun neared the amulet, the haze deepened.

When close enough, the natural mage brought his arm up to gently hold the chain of the amulet. His fingers dipped through the field encasing the jewel, ripples branching out from the breached spots.

A warmth spread from his finger to the rest of his body when he fully grabbed the amulet. The following shock was so strong that Kihyun had to take a moment to recollect himself, including to remember to breathe. Letting out a weak 'wow', his wide eyes stared at the power in his in amazement.

"Hyung?" Changkyun called out, feeling himself return to his body. "Did you get it?"

"Yea," Kihyun breathed out, beginning to feel overwhelmed from the surging power. "Yea, Changkyun-ah, I got..." he turned around to face the awaiting requip mage. "...it."

Changkyun beamed brightly, ready to walk towards him. Kihyun would've had the same expression if his attention had been fully on the youngest. But instead, as his veins pumped with energized magic power, his senses heightened and something fell in his gut.

It only took seconds for him to realize why that was.

A few seconds too late.

 

 

 

 

_"Changkyun-ah! Look out!"_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few notes
> 
> \- i feel like some scenes were rushed? like i wasn't sure how to convey the feelings anymore and like idk (sorry if the memorial scenes were messy)
> 
> \- remember that all the boys are mages with magic. some of the feats in this chapter depended on their magic, but i didn't really go into that much rip
> 
> \- i tried to avoid dialogue heavy scenes but a) there are many characters and b) some scenes were just downright conversations lol this was a slow chapter in terms of action
> 
> \- i hope you liked the small changki moments though. there were some kiho in here too, but it was meant to be platonic b/w kh and hs 
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> ALSO: plz support my babies monsta x in this comeback and continue to support btob as well :D <3
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> ALSO: if any of you have any advice in terms of my issues listed above or in terms of anything else about my writing in general, please tell me :D i really would love some direction bc i think im overthinking my writing elements a bit....
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> thanks for reading. i really hoped you all enjoyed it. i promise to be faster with the next part :D 
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> -k


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